A purple yam originated from the Philippines and is called a “ube,” which means “tuber” in Tagalog. It is a type of yam (a tuber). Most of the time, the tubers are a vibrant violet-purple to bright lavender color, although others are cream or just plain white. It can occasionally be confused with taro and the sweet potato from Okinawa.
Ube is the same size and shape as sweet potatoes but has the distinctively rough skin of yams. Its vibrant purple color is entirely natural. The ube grows above ground on a vine, unlike other sweet potatoes, which grow underground, making it different from other yams and potatoes.
Philippine cuisine most frequently uses purple yam (where it is known as ube or ubi). It is frequently consumed boiled, baked, or as the sweetened dessert known as ube halayá; the latter is a common component of the ice cream delicacy known as halo-halo.
What Does Ube Taste Like?
Ube has edible tubers with a flavor similar to sweet potatoes or taro that is somewhat sweet, earthy, and nutty.
