Che Ba Mau (Vietnamese Three Color Dessert) Recipe
Che Ba Mau, also known as Vietnamese Three Color Dessert, is a refreshing and visually stunning sweet treat featuring layers of pandan jelly, sweet adzuki red beans, and creamy mung beans, topped with a rich coconut sauce and crushed ice. Perfect for hot days, this dessert combines diverse textures and flavors that celebrate traditional Vietnamese culinary heritage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight soaking)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes plus overnight soaking
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pandan Jelly Layer
- 1 tablespoon agar agar
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon pandan extract
- 1/4 cup sugar
Red Bean Layer
- 1 cup adzuki red beans (soaked overnight)
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mung Bean Layer
- 1 cup peeled split mung beans (soaked overnight)
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Coconut Sauce
- 1 can coconut cream
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoon water (for slurry)
Additional
- Crushed ice as needed
Instructions
- Make the Pandan Jelly: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine agar agar, sugar, and water. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Add pandan extract and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes ensuring the agar agar is completely dissolved.
- Cool and Cut Pandan Jelly: Remove the pandan jelly mixture from heat and transfer it to a heat-safe container. Allow it to cool at room temperature. Remove any air bubbles with a toothpick. Once set, cut the jelly into thin strips or small cubes.
- Prepare Red Beans: Soak adzuki red beans overnight. Drain and place them in a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add sugar and salt, stir until dissolved. Lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally until beans are soft.
- Prepare Mung Beans: Soak peeled split mung beans overnight. Drain and place them into a small saucepan with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Add sugar and salt, stirring to dissolve. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, uncovering during the final 5 minutes to allow excess water to evaporate and mixture to thicken.
- Blend Mung Beans: Once cooked, transfer mung beans to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and pulverized. Refrigerate the mixture to cool.
- Prepare Coconut Sauce: In a medium pot over medium-high heat, combine coconut cream, 1 1/4 cups water, sugar, and salt. Stir until dissolved, then bring to a gentle simmer.
- Thicken Coconut Sauce: Mix tapioca starch with 2 tablespoons water until fully combined to form a slurry. Gradually whisk the slurry into the simmering coconut cream and cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cool.
- Assemble the Dessert: In serving cups, layer mung bean puree, cooked adzuki red beans, and pandan jelly. Top generously with cooled coconut sauce and crushed ice. Mix well before enjoying.
Notes
- Soaking the beans overnight helps reduce cooking time and improves texture.
- Pandan extract can be substituted with fresh pandan juice if available.
- Agar agar can be replaced with gelatin but note it will no longer be vegan.
- You can adjust the sweetness of each layer according to your preference.
- This dessert is best served cold and fresh on a warm day.
- Coconut cream quality affects the richness – choose a thick, full-fat variety for best results.
- Crushed ice is key to balancing the sweetness and providing a refreshing element.
Keywords: Vietnamese dessert, Che Ba Mau, pandan jelly, adzuki beans, mung beans, coconut sauce, three color dessert, Asian sweet treat
