The write-up for this recipe will be short and sweet. It’s a prelude to the magical wonderful world of Vietnamese chè (most commonly translated as ‘sweet soup’), an umbrella term that encompasses all sorts of soupy desserts in Vietnam, both hot and cold. Some chè are complicated, with an array of ingredients, such as fruits, beans, jelly, and other delicacies to be assembled in a syrup, sweetened from the much revered rock sugar. Others take less than 30 minutes to put together but are still sufficient to revive you from the mid-day sugar crave. This mung bean pudding is the latter.
If you recall, mung beans are a versatile pulse with applications in both sweet and savory treats. I took the liberty to call this dessert a pudding because of its thick consistency. Split mung beans are softened in water and beaten (hence its name, “đánh” means “beat”) into a paste. It’s often served cold on top of crushed ice in a glass with distinct layers of the smooth yellow bean and pearly white coconut milk.
With no blender or any ice-crusher equivalent, I chill mine in the fridge before serving. Since there’s no possibility of dilution, mine also uses less sugar (meaning you can eat more of it).
This recipe reflects my state of mind whenever I want a quick sugar fix without feeling icky of all the extra glucose my body longs to ingest. No fuss, no skill, one pot (maybe two if you strongly object to rinsing a pot and reusing it). If you want a smooth pudding, make use of the potato masher or even a blender. Otherwise, running the back of the ladle against the softened bean a few rounds will do.
Mung Bean Pudding With Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 200 g split mung bean (about 1 cup) soaked in water for one hour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 can coconut milk (400 ml)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 4 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a medium pot, cover the mung beans with just enough water and simmer on medium low heat for about 15 minutes or until the beans have softened and disintegrated. It should have the consistency of aporridge, thick but spoonable. If it’s too thick, add a little more water. Add 2 tbsp sugar and 1/8 tsp salt.
- Once it’s cool enough to process, use a potato masher to break the mung beans into smaller chunks and smoothen the texture. I like mine a bit chunky, so I’ll leave them be. Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Make a slurry with the corn starch and water. Set it aside.
- In a small sauce pan, cook the coconut milk on medium low heat until small bubbles appear. Add 2 tbsp sugar and 1/8 tsp salt. Add the corn starch slurry by the spoonful and stir thoroughly to avoid clumps. Adjust for sweetness if necessary.
- Once the mixture thickens, remove the coconut milk from the heat and let cool down at room temperature before storing in the fridge. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- To serve: scoop the mung bean into a bowl or cup, add a few spoons of coconut milk on top.
