Lee's Taro Coffee Recipe

Prepare taro

Rinse, peel and dice 1 cup taro root into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Work carefully: taro can be slightly slippery.

Simmer taro

Place diced taro and 1.5 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until taro is very tender and breaks easily with a fork, about 15–20 minutes.

Make syrup

Once taro is tender, use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) and puree the taro with the cooking liquid until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch (1/4 tsp) salt. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens to a syrup-like consistency, about 6–8 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness. If too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons water to reach pourable syrup texture.

Strain (optional)

For an ultra-smooth syrup, pass the taro syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a jar, pressing solids to extract flavors. Discard solids. Let cool to room temperature. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Brew 1 cup very strong coffee or pull 1 cup (8 fl oz) of espresso-strength coffee. If using espresso, you may dilute slightly with hot water to reach 1 cup. Keep the coffee hot while preparing the drink.

Assemble iced taro coffee (cold)

Fill a 16-ounce glass with 1 cup ice. Pour 2–3 tablespoons of the prepared taro syrup over the ice (adjust to taste). If using taro powder for extra color/flavor, stir 1 tsp taro powder into the syrup before pouring. Add 1 cup cold milk. Slowly pour 1 cup strong coffee over the milk to create a layered look, if desired. Stir gently to combine everything. Taste and add 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk if you prefer richer sweetness. Top with a dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or crushed roasted peanuts as garnish (optional).

Assemble hot taro coffee (hot)

In a heatproof mug, combine 2–3 tablespoons taro syrup with 1 cup hot strong coffee. Stir until the syrup dissolves. Warm 1 cup milk and froth if desired; pour milk into the mug and stir gently. Add sweetened condensed milk to taste, and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or nuts if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately. For iced, include a straw and a long spoon to mix. For hot, serve with a small spoon. Refrigerate any leftover taro syrup separately and reheat or use cold as needed.