Have you ever tried to get a recipe out of your mom? The other day, I wanted to make taro popsicles, so I called up my mom to ask how she makes hers. This is how the conversation went. Just imagine her response in Cantonese.

Mom: Hello?

Me: Hi, mom?

Mom: Yes. Hi.

Me: How do you make the taro popsicles?

Mom: What?

Me: You know, the taro ice cream that you make.

Mom: Oh, ha ha ha. You want to make it?

Me: Yes, how do you make it?

Mom: You cook the taro.

Me: How?

Mom: Steam it. And then add coconut milk.

Me: How much?

Mom: Nevermind, don’t steam it. Why use so many pots and pans? Cook it in a pot. Add coconut milk and cook.

Me: How much coconut milk?

Mom: How big is your taro?

Me: I don’t know, I didn’t buy it yet.

Mom: Oh, mash up the taro first then add the coconut milk.

Me: How much?

Mom: If it looks too liquidy, add some cornstarch and cook.

Me: How much cornstarch?

Mom: I don’t know. Add it if it’s too liquidy. Oh, for sure you should add some cornstarch to thicken it up. Oh and add some sugar.

Me: How much?

Mom: I don’t know. You know I don’t measure…so your dad hurt his arm at work.

Me: Oh no, how?

Mom: I don’t know, ha ha. It was bleeding and now he’s got a bandage around it.

Me: Is he ok?

Mom: Yes, ha ha. Taro is expensive these days. Why are you up so early on a Saturday?

Me: It’s 9:30am, mom. It’s not early.

Mom: Ok, add the mixture to the mold and that’s it. Why don’t you just bring it over and I’ll make it for you?

Me: No, it’s ok.

Mom: You want to make it yourself? Ok, bye.

Me: Bye, mom. Thanks.

If I can’t even get a simple taro popsicle recipe from her, how am I supposed to get more complicated recipes from her like her yummy spring rolls and pho? Why doesn’t she write down her recipes? Why doesn’t she answer my questions and get distracted so easily? And why does she laugh at me and think I can’t cook? 😦 Oh well. This is my interpretation of my mom’s taro popsicles.

Ingredients

6 small taro

~125g red bean (optional)

1 can coconut milk

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

Rinse red bean and soak for 1.5 hour (optional).

Add red bean to 2 cups of water in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until soft (~40 minutes). Add more water if necessary. Drain and set aside.

Steam taro on high heat until soft (~30 minutes) and can be poked through with a fork.

Let taro cool and peel off the skin.

Mash taro in a medium-sized pot.

Add coconut milk and cook on low-medium heat. Mix until the consistency is even.

Add sugar and cook until dissolved.

Mix cornstarch with a bit of water and then add to pot.

Cook until mixture thickens a bit.

Mix in red bean (if using).

Let cool.

Add to popsicle molds and freeze.

And voilà!

These popsicles weren’t so hard to make. My only minor issue with them is that they aren’t sweet enough.

In fact, the mixture was slightly sweet, but not sweet at all after freezing. For this reason, David doesn’t like it much. But I don’t mind.

All the better, more for me. Mwahahahaha. 😉