Biji Salak (Candil Ubi Ungu) – Chewy Indonesian Sweet Potato Balls
This post may contain affiliate links.Biji salak, also known as candil ubi, is a traditional Indonesian dessert made with chewy sweet potato balls served in rich coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. It’s usually made with orange sweet potatoes, but in this version, I use a mix of purple and orange sweet potatoes for a more colorful and slightly richer flavor.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Biji Salak or Candil Ubi
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 35 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 15 portions
🔥 Calories: 107 kcal (per portion)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, salt, water, tapioca flour, coconut milk, pandan leaves, salt, sugar, rice flour.
🥗 Dietary Info: Halal
🧠 Difficulty: Easy, very simple steps.
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Biji Salak is one of those comforting Indonesian desserts I always associate with family gatherings and festive celebrations. Made with soft, chewy sweet potato balls simmered in a rich coconut milk sauce, it’s the kind of dessert that’s simple, humble, and incredibly satisfying.
The name Biji Salak comes from the small sweet potato balls, which resemble the shape of salak fruit. While the traditional version is made with orange sweet potatoes, I love using a mix of purple and orange sweet potatoes for a more colorful presentation and a slightly richer flavor. The sweet potato balls are combined with tapioca flour, giving them their signature chewy texture that stays tender even after simmering.
Traditionally served during Ramadan and Eid celebrations, Biji Salak—also known as Candil Ubi in some regions of Indonesia—is a favorite comfort dessert enjoyed throughout the country. The combination of chewy sweet potato balls, creamy coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup makes every spoonful warm, rich, and satisfying.
If you enjoy traditional Indonesian sweets with chewy textures and coconut flavors, you’ll also love desserts like Klepon, with its molten palm sugar center, Kuih Kosui, a soft pandan-steamed cake topped with coconut, Putri Mandi Ubi Ungu, a sweet potato dumpling served in coconut sauce, and Ongol Ongol, another classic chewy tapioca-based treat. These beloved jajan pasar desserts showcase the comforting flavors of coconut, palm sugar, and starch-based cakes that are popular throughout Indonesia.
Looking for more sweet treats? Browse my Asian Dessert Recipes collection for more traditional desserts, cakes, puddings, and snacks from across Asia.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Sweet potatoes – You can use purple, orange, or white sweet potatoes. I used a combination of purple and orange sweet potatoes to create two different colors. Different varieties may absorb moisture differently, so adjust the tapioca flour as needed.
Tapioca flour – This gives the sweet potato balls their signature chewy texture. Don’t substitute it with regular flour, as the texture will be completely different.
Coconut milk – Full-fat canned coconut milk creates the richest and creamiest sauce. You can use light coconut milk, but the sauce won’t be as rich.
Palm sugar – Palm sugar adds a deep caramel flavor to the coconut milk sauce. If unavailable, you can substitute dark brown sugar, though the flavor will be slightly different.
Pandan leaves – Pandan adds a subtle fragrance that pairs beautifully with coconut milk. Tie the leaves into a knot before simmering so they’re easy to remove later.
How to Make Biji Salak
STEP 1. Steam the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes or until soft (Image 1). Test with a fork, you should be able to poke it to the center. Let it cool down for a while. Peel the sweet potatoes (Image 2). It should be easy. Add tapioca flour, salt, and water (Images 3, 4).
STEP 2. Knead and mix until well-blended (Image 5). Take half tablespoon of the dough and shape it round like a ball (Image 6). Boil some water in a pot. Put the dough balls into the boiling water (Image 7). They will float when cooked (Image 8).
STEP 3. Take out the floated dough balls and transfer them to a bowl of water to cool them down (Images 9, 10). In another pot, mix together coconut milk, sugar, salt, rice flour, and pandan leaves (Image 11). Put it on low heat. Stir once in a while with a ladle. Let it simmer (Image 12) and turn off the stove. The texture should be creamy.
Pro Tips
- Peel the sweet potatoes while they’re still warm – They’re much easier to peel, but be careful not to burn your hands.
- Adjust the tapioca flour as needed – Different varieties of sweet potatoes contain different amounts of moisture. The dough should feel soft and pliable but not sticky.
- Use a food processor for smoother dough – It helps mash the sweet potatoes quickly and creates a more uniform texture.
- Use a measuring spoon for even-sized balls – This speeds up shaping and helps the balls cook evenly.
- Don’t overcook the sweet potato balls – Once they float to the surface, let them cook for another minute or two before removing them. Overcooking can make them too soft.
Serving Suggestions
Biji Salak is delicious served warm, with its chewy sweet potato balls nestled in a creamy coconut milk sauce. For a more indulgent dessert spread, serve it alongside Pulut Hitam for a comforting combination of textures and flavors.
You can also add cooked pearl sago or corn pudding to make it more colorful and fun, especially if you’re serving it for guests or festive occasions.
Pair this dessert with a soothing drink like lemon ginger tea or red ginger tea to balance the sweetness. If you enjoy traditional sweets like this, you can also explore more Asian dessert recipes for similar comforting treats across Southeast Asia.
Biji Salak FAQs
Biji salak is a traditional Indonesian dessert made from chewy sweet potato balls served in palm sugar syrup and coconut milk. The name means “snake fruit seeds” because the shape of the balls resembles salak fruit.
Yes, biji salak and candil ubi refer to the same dessert. In Indonesia, it is commonly called biji salak, while “candil ubi” is another name that highlights the sweet potato (ubi) used in the recipe.
The name comes from the shape of the sweet potato balls, which look like the seeds of salak (snake fruit). The dessert itself does not contain salak fruit.
Yes! Biji salak is traditionally made with orange sweet potatoes, but you can also use purple or white varieties. Using a mix of colors creates a more vibrant and slightly richer flavor.
Sweet potatoes are the main ingredient, but you can substitute them with taro for a slightly firmer texture. The flavor will be different but still delicious.
Make sure the dough is soft but not sticky, and avoid overcooking the balls. Cooking them just until they float helps maintain their chewy texture.
Biji salak is best enjoyed fresh. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, but the texture may become firmer over time.
Storage
Biji salak is best consumed on the day it is made. You can still get the chewy texture and the coconut milk sauce is still very fresh.
Uncooked biji salak can be kept in the refrigerator for one day only. I have tried keeping them in the refrigerator for more than 2 days, they crumble easily.
Same thing happens to the cooked candil. Cooked biji salak is best consumed on the day it is boiled. You can only keep it one day in the chiller.
Separate the coconut milk sauce in a different container.
More Asian Dessert Recipes
If you enjoy traditional Indonesian sweets like this, you can also explore more Asian dessert recipes for similar chewy, coconut-based treats across Southeast Asia.
- If you love sweet potatoes with coconut milk, you can try talam labu or talam ubi ungu – soft, layered steamed cakes.
- Kuih Seri Muka – a beautiful two-layer dessert with pandan custard on top of glutinous rice.
- Kuih Kosui – soft, chewy brown sugar cakes topped with fresh grated coconut.
- Wajik – sticky glutinous rice cooked in palm sugar and coconut milk, rich and fragrant.
- Kue Awuk – fluffy steamed coconut cake with palm sugar and a light, crumbly texture.
Looking for more naturally gluten-free treats? Be sure to check out my collection of Asian Gluten-Free Desserts featuring traditional cakes, puddings, sweet soups, and snacks from across Asia.
Biji Salak Candil Ubi
Ingredients
- 250 gr sweet potatoes purple or regular sweet potatoes
- 75 gr tapioca flour
- 1 gr salt
- 75 cc water
Coconut Milk Sauce
- 500 cc coconut milk 100 ml instant coconut milk + 400 ml water
- 2 pcs pandan leaves
- 90 gr sugar
- 2 gr salt
- 1 tbsp rice flour
Instructions
- Steam the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes or until soft. Test with a fork, you should be able to poke it to the center. Let it cool down for a while. Peel the sweet potatoes. It should be easy. Add tapioca flour, salt, and water.
- Knead and mix until well-blended. Take half tablespoon of the dough and shape it round like a ball. Boil some water in a pot. Put the dough balls into the boiling water. They will float when cooked.
- Take out the floated dough balls and transfer them to a bowl of water to cool them down. In another pot, mix together coconut milk, sugar, salt, rice flour, and pandan leaves. Put it on low heat. Stir once in a while with a ladle. Let it simmer and turn off the stove. The texture should be creamy.
- Put some cooked dough balls into a bowl. Pour in coconut milk. You can add pulut hitam at the side. Enjoy warm or cold with some ice cubes!
Video
Notes
- Peel the sweet potatoes while still warm. Be careful of scalding your hands when it is still very hot.
- You can use a food processor to mash the sweet potatoes and mix it together with other ingredients.
- Rounding the dough balls can be time consuming. Use a measuring spoon to scoop it faster.
I love biji salak since I was a kid. To be able to make it myself with purple sweet potato and sweet potato really makes me happy!