Che ba mau – Vietnamese three-colour dessert Recipe
A layered dessert made with bean jellies, red beans and coconut milk, eaten in Vietnam mainly in summer as a sweet refreshment. It looks like a colourful drink and tastes like a mix of pudding, ice cream and a sweet beverage. Great when you want to surprise guests with something unusual but not too heavy.
This dessert combines different textures and temperatures in one glass: soft beans, bouncy jellies, creamy coconut milk and crunchy ice. It looks impressive, but is actually simple to prepare in advance and assemble at the last moment.
Chef's tips
Make the jellies and sweet beans the day before – they will have time to chill properly, and on the day of serving you only need to cut, layer and add ice. Adjust the sweetness at the end by tasting the coconut milk; it should be slightly sweeter than you like, because the ice will dilute the flavour.
How to serve
Serve in tall glasses with a long spoon and a wide straw. For parties, you can prepare a small “bar” with bowls of different jellies, beans and toppings so everyone can compose their own glass.
Ingredients
- canned red beans drained, rinsed - 200 g
- sugar for the beans and coconut milk - 80 g
- water for cooking the beans with sugar - 200 ml
- coconut milk well shaken - 400 ml
- pinch of salt for the coconut milk - 1 g
- cornstarch about 1.5 tablespoons, to thicken the coconut milk - 15 g
- powdered gelatin for the bean jellies - 10 g
- milk for dissolving the gelatin and beans - 150 ml
- green pea paste or matcha for the green colour, optional - 5 g
- vanilla syrup or vanilla sugar to taste - 5 g
- crushed ice for serving - 200 g
Preparation
- Put the drained red beans into a small pot, add 200 ml water and 40 g sugar. Cook over low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the beans are very soft and the liquid has slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the gelatin with 50 ml cold milk and leave for 5 minutes to bloom.
- Heat the remaining 100 ml milk in a small saucepan, but do not bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the bloomed gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
- Divide the milky mixture into two equal parts. Add the green pea paste or a little matcha to one part and mix well until the colour is uniform. Add vanilla syrup or vanilla sugar to the other part.
- Pour both mixtures into shallow dishes (e.g. plastic containers) so that the layer is about 1 cm high. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, until completely set.
- Meanwhile, prepare the coconut milk: in a saucepan, mix the coconut milk, 40 g sugar, a pinch of salt and cornstarch. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly to the consistency of a thin pudding. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill in the fridge.
- When the jellies are set, cut them into thin strips or small cubes. Transfer the red beans to a bowl together with the thick syrup they were cooked in.
- Put 2–3 tablespoons of red beans in the bottom of tall glasses or bowls.
- Add a layer of green jelly on top of the beans, then a layer of light vanilla jelly. Fill the vessel to about two-thirds of its height.
- Add a handful of crushed ice to each serving.
- Pour the chilled coconut milk on top so that it covers the ice and fills the glass almost to the top.
- Serve immediately with a spoon and a wide straw so you can scoop up both the liquid and the jelly pieces.
Storage
Store the components (jellies, sweet beans and coconut milk) separately in the fridge and assemble just before serving. Consume within 2–3 days; add fresh ice each time.
I associate che ba mau with the hottest days, when you don’t feel like heavy cakes or baked desserts. It’s refreshing, fun to eat and always sparks conversation at the table.
