Ube, a purple eye popping yam, has been a staple in Filipino desserts for decades. It is the new Instagram darling, sweetening high street menus across the globe. Its flavour? Think coconut meets vanilla with a mellow, nutty twist. A cult favourite in Southeast Asia, ube first conquered American cafes, before landing in India.
This vivid purple heart of Filipino kitchens isn't just an ingredient, it’s a story passed down for generations. Michelle Taste, Chef at the Sofitel in Brisbane who’s been weaving this earthy yam into her recipes for years, describes it as ‘the heirloom of the Philippines’. The texture is quite like the taro and its sweetness is similar to sweet potato.
“Today, ube is going global, finding its way into tiramisu, pancakes, and of course, our feeds. It’s a craze, much like matcha was,” Michelle says, crediting its rise to Instagram’s love for its hypnotic, amethyst hue. Traditionally stirred into ube halaya, a jam-like treat favourite across Filipino households, ube’s versatility has unleashed it onto the world stage.
Visual appeal aside (it does ‘pop’ on camera), ube feels both exotic and oddly familiar, a velvet cushion in flavour form. While ube and matcha may share the spotlight in today’s food world, they couldn’t be more different. Matcha is the brooding artist, earthy, bitter, and vegetal, best appreciated in small quantities, ube is the charismatic headliner: naturally sweet, nutty, and silky, wrapped in a vibrant purple that practically shouts, ‘Eat me!’
Chef Harish Rao from Hosa, says cooked ube has a creamy, luxurious texture that works wonders in desserts. The Filipino staple has long starred in halaya, cakes, and ice creams. But Rao’s take, a lavariya inspired creation where ube is folded into the dough and paired with coconut and jaggery, is a standout example of its versatility. “Honestly, in the battle of the trendy ingredients, my money’s on purple every time,”smiles Rao.
The quiet magic of ube is its chameleon-like ability to melt into coconut rich creations. “I’ve whisked it into a silken coconut custard that’s, frankly, borderline hypnotic. It leans beautifully into Southeast Asian classics too, imagine a soft kanom krok batter tinted purple or pandan steamed buns cradling a velvety ube core,” chips in Chef Kaustubh Haldipur, Fireback.
Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur appreciates ube, when its natural flavour takes centre stage. “It’s perfect for frozen custards, mousses, fermented breakfast buns, or even contemporary drinks.” For Kapur, though, the ube trend stirs curiosity about India’s indigenous garadu—the purple fleshed yam that sits at street food stalls rather than in patisseries. While garadu is starchier and savoury, often deep fried and spiced, its similarity to ube lies in a broader truth he’s eager to explore: the hidden treasures of India’s tubers, roots, and naturally colourful staples. Think kokum, jamun, ragi, turmeric, and saffron, ingredients that, given half the chance, could reshape the modern café menu.
The rise of ingredients like ube reflects a growing consumer preference for natural colours and flavours. Perhaps it’s time for India’s heritage ingredients to step up to the plate as well.