Che Ba Mau – Vietnamese Three Colour Bean Dessert

Step 1

Soak the split, hulled mung beans (they're yellow) in about 4 cups of water overnight. Alternatively, you can just soak them for about 1 hour in warm water before you start making this dessert, it's better when soaked overnight though. Rinse and drain the next day.

Step 2

Using a steamer, arrange the mung beans on one of the perforated steam layers and steam over medium heat for about 20 or until they're very soft. If you prefer the soft, mung bean mash type texture, you could cook them in a pot in about 1 1/2 cups water until they're soft. You could then mash with a potato masher or hand blender until you get that really thick texture (adding water as desired).

Step 3

In a small pot over medium heat, combine agar agar powder, sugar, water and stir well until the agar has dissolved (the water will look clear). Stir in the pandan flavouring and then pour into a glass container (you can use one of those glass sandwich ones, I ended up using a glass pie pan). Let cool and set completely in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Step 4

Once those are set, cut into jelly strips (about 1.5 inch long and maybe 1/4 thick). Set aside.

Step 5

In a small pot (or alternatively the microwave), heat sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved (water will look clear). Set aside to cool.

Step 6

Combine the coconut cream and sugar and heat until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Step 7

In a tall glass, add 2-3 tbsp of crushed or shaved ice, 2 heaping tbsp of the kidney beans, another 2 heaping tbsp of the mung beans, a layer of the pandan jelly, more shaved ice, and 3 tbsp each of the sugar syrup and sweetened coconut cream.

Step 8

Enjoy immediately!