Cassava Balls With A Hidden Date: A Steamed, Gluten Free Vegan Dessert
Cassava Balls With A Hidden Date: A Steamed, Gluten Free Vegan Dessert.
Grated Cassava, Coconut, Sesame And Chia, With A Soft Date In The Middle.
Makes 12 Balls. About 20 Minutes To Prepare, Then 45 Minutes To An Hour In The Steamer.
Introduction to my cassava recipe
This cassava recipe makes 12 steamed cassava balls, a vegan and naturally gluten free dessert. You mix 2 cups of frozen grated cassava with coconut, sesame seeds, black chia seeds, vanilla and a pinch of salt, shape it into balls a little smaller than a golf ball, press a soaked date into the middle of each one, and steam them for 45 minutes to an hour until they turn translucent. It’s a great dessert recipe, with a surprising flavour. Yummy! The recipe comes from Pondok Pisang, the venue for our Bali yoga retreat. Each year at the retreat there’s a cooking class, and this was one of the dishes students asked for, because they loved what they tasted. I’ve changed it in a few ways since. I use dates instead of palm sugar, and a vanilla pod instead of rum essence. The soft, sweet date in the middle is the surprise. When people try them, they tell me they’re delicious, and one of the nicest sweets they know. Stuart says they remind him of the cassava he ate in Papua New Guinea, where cassava is much more common than it is here. If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.Cassava balls, ready to eat
My cassava balls, each with a soft date tucked inside.
Ingredients for this cassava recipe
Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dessert. It makes 12 balls.The cassava, coconut and dates
- 2 cups of frozen grated cassava
- ½ a cup of grated fresh coconut, or desiccated coconut
- 12 pitted dates, one for each ball
The seeds and flavour
- 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, black or white (I used black)
- 1 tablespoon of black chia seeds
- 1 vanilla pod, or a dash of vanilla essence
- A pinch of salt
The frozen grated cassava I use
Frozen grated cassava saves you grating the root yourself.
The seeds, dates and vanilla
The rest of the ingredients: seeds, dates and vanilla.
How to make this cassava recipe
Use these steps to make these steamed cassava balls. Mixing and shaping takes about 5 to 7 minutes.Step 1: Soak the dates
- Soak the pitted dates in warm water for about 15 minutes.
Step 2: Mix
- Put the grated cassava into a bowl.
- Add the coconut.
- De-seed the vanilla pod, or use a dash of vanilla essence.
- Add a pinch of salt, the sesame seeds and the black chia seeds.
- Mix it all together well.
Step 3: Shape
- Shape the mixture into 12 balls, each a little smaller than a golf ball. One fits in the palm of your hand.
- Press your thumb into each ball to make a hole, then place a soaked date inside.
Step 4: Steam
- Put the balls straight into the steamer, or line it with baking paper if you prefer.
- Steam with the lid on for 45 minutes to an hour.
- They should look translucent.
- Be sure to cook them thoroughly.
Step 5: Serve
- Serve with a very low sugar coconut yoghurt, or an oat yoghurt.
- Add a side of fruit, such as sliced banana, mango or kiwi fruit.
Out of the steamer
Straight out of the steamer. They turn translucent when they are cooked.
The hidden date
The date sits in the thumb hole you press into each ball.
Served with yoghurt
Serve with yoghurt and some fruit on the side.
Where does this cassava recipe come from?
From Bali. It’s my version of a dish from Pondok Pisang, where we hold our Bali yoga retreat each year. Students asked for the recipe after tasting it at the retreat cooking class. I swapped the palm sugar for dates and the rum essence for a vanilla pod.What is cassava?
Cassava is a starchy root vegetable, also called manioc or yuca. Tapioca is made from its starch, so if you’ve tried my strawberry tapioca pudding, you’ve already eaten cassava.Is cassava safe to eat?
Yes, when it’s prepared properly. Food Standards Australia New Zealand says cassava naturally contains cyanogenic glycosides (natural plant chemicals), which can release hydrogen cyanide, and that cassava must be peeled and fully cooked before eating. That’s why I use grated cassava from the shop, and steam the balls for 45 minutes to an hour, until they’re translucent and cooked right through. If your cassava comes in a packet, follow its instructions too.Are cassava balls vegan and gluten free?
Yes. They’re made from cassava, coconut, dates, seeds, vanilla and salt, so they’re vegan and naturally gluten free. Serve them with coconut or oat yoghurt to keep the whole dessert vegan, and check the label if your cassava comes in a packet.How much carbohydrate is in cassava?
Raw cassava has about 38 g of carbohydrate in every 100 g, according to the USDA FoodData Central database. That’s why these balls are so filling for a dessert.Cassava recipe: quick questions answered
How many cassava balls does this make?
12 balls, each a little smaller than a golf ball, with one date in each.Where can I buy grated cassava in Darwin?
I buy it frozen from the Asian Emporium on Bagot Road. Other Asian grocers around Greater Darwin, and in most Australian cities, are likely to have it too.How do you know when they’re cooked?
They look translucent. Steam them for 45 minutes to an hour, and be sure they’re cooked thoroughly.Can you make cassava balls ahead?
Yes. I kept some in a sealed container in the fridge, and they were as good, or even a little better, the next day. I haven’t tried freezing them.Black or white sesame seeds?
Either works. I used black sesame seeds in the photos.What yoghurt do you serve them with?
A very low sugar coconut yoghurt, ideally under about 2 to 3% sugar. An oat yoghurt works too. Add some fruit on the side: sliced banana, mango or kiwi fruit.More Flametree dessert recipes
If you love this, try my black sesame bliss balls, my strawberry tapioca pudding, or my Indonesian black rice pudding.Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?
Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me. Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option. Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat
By the way, there are several upcoming Flametree yoga retreats in Bali in 2027. Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.Top yoga & meditation retreats, classes, & videos
Meanwhile, start or re-start yoga or meditation with one of the HALF price deals below, or check out the retreat deals. Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.Flametree upcoming yoga & meditation retreats
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Recipe by Chris Lalor, Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin NT. General information only.
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