Ube and banana, that's what the title is.
What is ube? It's health benefits? How to prepare it? What about banana's health benefits?
In the past I have written about root crops that are available in our village like sweet potato and cassava. Ube is not an exeption, it is also a family of tubers. It is pronounced as oobei. It is grown all over the Philippines and other tropical countries where it is prepared in different ways. Sometimes, it is being confused with taro roots, another tuber.
If you don't know what ube is, it is called purple yam in foreign countries. It has a color of greyish-brown peel and with purple flesh. It is either boiled, steemed or grilled that produces a soft texture when cooked.
Aside from its rich purple color, it is packed with vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants which is essential to our body needs.
Health benefits
A very nutritious food- it contains a lot of vitamins like carbohydrates because it is a starchy food. Protein, fat, calories, fiber, potassium, calcium, iron and Vitamin A. It also has vitamin C which is very good in keeping our immune system strong, it helps in the absorption of iron and protects DNA from damage.
Antioxidant-rich food- Did you know that natural foods that have a strong color contains lots of antioxidants? Violet foods are among them. These antioxidants keep our body from free radicals which is linked in numerous cancers like colon cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
Lowers blood sugar- Ube contains flavonoids which is responsible in lowering blood sugar with patients of type2 diabetes. These flavonoids reduced oxidative stress which results to a higher risk of insulin resistance. Insulin, on the other hand is responsible in controlling blood sugar.
Additionally, purple yam contains a low glycemic index thus, the carbs contents are broken down into sugars slowly that leads to appetite suppression. Therefore, it is also good for ideal weight maintenance.
Regulate blood pressure- Antioxidant content of this amazing tuber is also responsible for lowering blood sugar. It is proven that it acts effectively like that of a blood-lowering medication ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors .
Improve asthma symptoms- Due to its high level of antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin C contents it helps in minimizing asthma symptoms. Studies said that lacking in vitamin A raise symptoms thus a daily serve of ube could supplement the needed amount.
Gut health improvement- With its content of complex carbohydrates that it has resistant starch, a type of carbs that increases a certain type of bacteria that is beneficial in the gut. This bacteria is called Bifidobacteria that helps in breaking down complex carbs and fiber.
Culinary purposes- this starchy tuber can be used in a wide variety of dishes from soup to stew to stir-fries.
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In our country, it is a favorite ingredient to some native snacks like bilo-bilo, halo-halo, ice candy and others..
Because we have some in the kitchen that I decided to make it into ice cream. A perfect mid day treat this summer. It is just a simple recipe which an ice cream maker is not needed. You may use a blender, food processor or you may hand-mash it.
I didn't follow any exact measurements but I just made it according to my taste.
For the ice cream
You will need: Ube jam or halayang ube, 1 can condensed milk, ube extract (I actually didn't add it because I don't have),1tbs vanilla extract, pinch of salt and 2 packs all-purpose cream or whipping cream. This recipe is what I had used in the 1kg of purple yam I made for ube halaya or ube jam.
In a bowl add ube jam, condensed milk, ube extract and vanilla then whisk until well blended. Set aside (honestly, I didn't add ube extract because it's not available in my kitchen, you can only buy it in town)
In another bowl whisk chilled all purpose cream until it doubled in size or stiff peaks form
Add a cup of ube mixture then gradually fold in until well combined.
Take the whipped cream-ube mixture to the remaining ube mix then gradually fold until all is well combined.
In an air tight container place the mixture making sure there's no empty space for air. Cover and freeze for 5 hours or overnight.
To make ube jam or halayang ube
You will need 1kg ube( available), 2 cups freshly extracted coconut milk, 1/2 c sugar,1 can condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, 2 cups of butter, ube extract, vanilla
First is to wash, cut and boil the ube until cooked. Let cool then peel.
Cut it into small pieces then put in a big bowl. Add sugar, coconut milk, 1 condensed milk and the evaporated milk.
In a blender, fill to capacity then pulse. Blend until smooth until all batches have been smoothly blended. (I used a food processor but I was not able to get the smoothness needed and the result was a little bit course with some small pieces).
Transfer the mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot. Then cook in slow fire for about 30-45 minutes.
Stir constantly with wooden spoon to avoid burning.
Lastly,add butter, salt, vanilla if you have. Stir then simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool. (I was not able to take a picture while I was cooking it because I was multi-tasking that time of lunch, I was feeding the kids)
Yeah! Obviously, you had to make ube jam first but if you have bought a ready-made one then the better.
The purple yam jam can be used in varieties of desserts such as halo-halo and cakes.
The banana is fine but the ube icecream is a little bit course. I suggest a blender should be used. It still taste fine. Surely the kids would dive into it
This was a cake I baked in 2017 and posted it on fb. No ube extract added nor artificial coloring. I named it ube pound cake because it's heavy. I think I added 3 cups of mashed ube, that's why. I made another but I couldn't find the picture in my gallery nor did I post it on fb. I made ube jam for the toppings. Now, I learned that only a cup of ube jam is added into the batter and ube extract plus purple coloring is added to enhance its color and flavor.
I wasn't able to bake ube cake this time because I don't have ingredients yet.
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To avail of the benefits the purple yam offers, its better to eat it as it is boiled, steamed or grilled because added ingredients such as condensed milk is considered not healthy foods. So eat minimally of ube treats because instead of loosing weight, will lead otherwise.
I think this is long enouh so I have to cut it here. And post another one for the banana ice cream..
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z_graeden
Nice one