Three-Color Sweet Bean Dessert
Che ba mau, the Vietnamese layered dessert of sweetened red beans, yellow mung bean paste, and pandan-tinted jelly piled into a glass with crushed ice and drizzled with coconut cream. Plan ahead: soak dried beans overnight before cooking.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried red kidney beans or adzuki beans, soaked overnight
- 1/2 cup dried split yellow mung beans, soaked 1 hr
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 8 cups water
- 1 tsp pandan extract (or 4 drops green food coloring)
- 1 tsp agar-agar powder
- 1 cup water (for pandan jelly)
- 1 cup canned coconut cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups crushed ice
Instructions
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1
Drain soaked 1/2 cup dried red kidney beans or adzuki beans. Place in a saucepan with enough fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then simmer 45-60 minutes until tender. Drain, then stir in 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
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2
Drain soaked 1/2 cup dried split yellow mung beans. Simmer in fresh water for 20-25 minutes until very soft. Drain well, then mash with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt until a thick paste forms. Set aside.
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3
Make the pandan jelly: whisk 1 tsp agar-agar powder into 1 cup water (for pandan jelly) in a small saucepan. Add remaining granulated sugar and 1 tsp pandan extract (or 4 drops green food coloring). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Pour into a shallow dish and let set at room temperature, then refrigerate until firm. Cut into small cubes.
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4
Warm 1 cup canned coconut cream gently in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt until just fluid. Do not boil. Let cool slightly.
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5
Assemble the dessert: spoon a layer of sweetened red beans into the bottom of tall glasses. Add a layer of mung bean paste. Top with pandan jelly cubes. Pack 2 cups crushed ice on top and drizzle generously with the salted coconut cream. Serve immediately.