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Chè Đậu Xanh (Vietnamese Mung Bean and Tapioca Pudding)

A classic southern Vietnamese sweet soup featuring tender mung beans and chewy tapioca pearls suspended in a fragrant coconut milk broth. Served warm in cooler months or over ice in summer, it captures the soul of Vietnamese chè.

Prep

20 min

Cook

40 min

Total

60 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz / 1 cup) split mung beans, hulled, the small yellow variety, soaked
• •60 g (½ cup) small tapioca pearls, boba-sized or smaller; not instant/minute tapioca
• •1 L (4 cups) water, for cooking beans and pearls
• •400 ml (13½ fl oz) full-fat coconut milk, shake the can well; not 'lite'
• •150 g (¾ cup) palm sugar, or substitute with light brown sugar for a less caramelly flavor
• •80 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
• •1 whole pandan leaf, optional but traditional; tied in a knot, or substitute ½ tsp pandan extract
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) fine sea salt
• •1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 scraped vanilla bean, optional, for aroma
• •100 g (3½ oz) grass jelly (thạch lá dứa) or pandan jelly, cubed, optional but classic in many regional chè
• •2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds or roasted peanuts, roughly crushed, for garnish
• •crushed ice, as needed, only if serving cold

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the mung beans under cold water until the water runs clear. Cover with plenty of cold water and soak for at least 1 hour (or up to 4 hours); drain well. Soaking is required to ensure even, tender cooking without breaking the beans down to mush.
2. 2 Place the soaked, drained mung beans in a heavy pot with 700 ml (about 3 cups) of fresh water and the pandan leaf if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook 18–22 minutes, skimming any foam, until the beans are completely tender and beginning to break apart. The interior should be soft and creamy with no chalky bite; taste to confirm.
3. 3 While the beans cook, soak the tapioca pearls in enough cool water to cover by 5 cm (2 in) for 15–20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Pre-soaking produces the uniformly translucent, chewy texture characteristic of Vietnamese chè.
4. 4 When the mung beans are tender, add the palm sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Stir gently until fully dissolved and the broth takes on a glossy, light caramel color. Simmer 2 more minutes to meld.
5. 5 Pour in the coconut milk and add the vanilla if using. Heat slowly over low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring often. Do NOT let the coconut milk boil hard or it may split and turn grainy; stop when you see the first lazy bubbles break the surface.
6. 6 Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water (about 300 ml / 1¼ cups) to a vigorous boil. Add the soaked tapioca pearls, stir once, and cook 6–8 minutes (or per package directions) until they are fully translucent with no white core in the center. Raw tapioca pearls are unpleasantly starchy and must be cooked through.
7. 7 Drain the cooked tapioca and rinse briefly under warm water to remove surface starch. Add the pearls and the cubed jelly (if using) to the coconut milk pot and simmer together 1–2 minutes so everything warms through.
8. 8 Taste and adjust sweetness — southern Vietnamese chè is sweet but not cloying; northern versions tend to be lighter, so you may want to dial the sugar down by a tablespoon or two for a more delicate profile.
9. 9 Remove the pandan leaf. Serve hot in small bowls, or ladle over a generous scoop of crushed ice for chè đá. Top each bowl with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or crushed peanuts. The contrast of warm/cool creamy coconut broth with chewy pearls and soft beans is the point of the dish.
10. 10 Store leftovers (without ice) in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, and add a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen as the tapioca will continue to absorb liquid and thicken.