What is bubur cha cha? In Malay, “bubur” means “porridge”, and” cha cha” means “well”. My grandma said it should be “che che” in Hokkien Penang spoken language which means “prosperity”. My grandma doesn’t have a proper amount for the ingredients nor method.

To me, it’s just a coconut milk dessert; it comes from Malaysia-Nyonya (Peranakan Chinese), which is made up of a mixture of sweet potatoes (in yellow, orange, and purple colours), yam, and a few other ingredients that my grandma used to make for us during festive seasons in Penang and when we requested.

I didn’t have pandan leaves nor gula melaka (palm sugar) like my grandma and mom use. My mom latest bubur cha cha uses white sugar. Since I last made the bubur cha cha: my one and only one ever Chinese dessert that I have mastered well after 5 times and the 6 times in heaven because it’s delicious.

I am trying it again with fig and plum from my back garden. I know bubur don’t have fig and plum in it. For a change and to call it my own creation and daring to try again. Let’s cook.  It really tastes heavenly delicious, sweet-creamy, comforting and looks beautiful colourful. Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients

150 g sago
1 small sweet potato, cut to bite size
1/4 yam, cut to bite size
400 ml can coconut milk
120-140 g granulated sugar, to taste
750 ml -1 L water
a pinch of salt

Garnish

figs, halved
plums, pitted and cut to bite sizes

Method

Microwave yam, and sweet potato until cooked about 15 -20 minutes, drain and set aside. Boil sago on medium heat in a large pot with 250 ml water, give it a quick stir. Remember to stir occasionally and reduce heat for 10 minutes, until translucent. Remove from hob.

Next add 500ml water to the cooked sago to prevent them from clumping together. Give a couple of stirs again; checking the bottom not stuck before putting back on hob; medium heat. Now add 120 g sugar, adjust the sweetness according to taste. Then, add 300 ml coconut milk and salt. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolved. When sugar had dissolved, reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add in cooked yam, and sweet potato into the sago and coconut milk mixture. See if not creamy, add the remaining 100 ml coconut milk. Let it simmer, stir occasionally for about 10 minutes. During simmering taste again for sweetness, add about 10 g sugar or 20 g if you like it sweeter. I didn’t add any more sugar as the figs and plums are sweet enough. The texture should be soft not clumpy and cream thick. If too thick add about 240 ml water and mix well. Serve it cold or hot or warm up to individual choice. Before serving add in the cut up figs and plums.

Note: I serve mine with more coconut milk. You can make more or less the portion. You can add the other colour sweet potatoes and banana. You can use palm sugar and add pandan leaves.

https://helenscchin.com/2022/02/19/bubur-cha-cha-with-fig-and-plum/

My other recipe:

https://helenscchin.com/2020/10/01/bubur-cha-cha-malaysian-nyonya-coconut-milk-dessert/

https://helenscchin.com/2021/04/06/bubur-cha-cha-with-fig-and-cassava/

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