Sweet Elixir

If you have a sweet tooth, you might like to try Che, a sweet soup made from essentially green mung beans. There are many variations on Che available throughout Vietnam.





In Saigon we tried Che in the local market and here it was served with at least ten ingredients all layered colourfully in a glass with ice and spoon. A cross between a cooling drink and dessert. Green mung beans in coconut milk, coconut shavings, bright pomegranate seeds, lotus seeds, sweetcorn and jellies. They are filling and a nice cooling treat after being out in the heat.

In Hue, Che is eaten as a simple sweet soup with different varieties of beans, rice, tapioca, root vegetables, lotus seeds and banana. It is enjoyed in parks and along the Perfume River banks. Its a versatile dessert because its cooling in summer yet can be also served heated in Winter.



We looked all over Hue for the sweet soup but could not find them until our last day when our motorbike drivers kindly offered to fetch us some samples to try. They came back 10 minutes later with 3 small bags of the sweet soups, che dau van - sweet soup of broad beans, a red bean and lotus seed soup and a green mung bean soup. Che is a little unusual simply because of its texture really mixed with extreme sweetness but again if you like your beans and you have a sweet tooth you will love Che.

For some of you, Winter is approaching, you might like to try this on a chilly day, it is similar to porridge - warming, sweet and filling and easy on the stomach.

Che dau Xanh - Sweet Mung Bean Soup recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4-6

225 g Skinned split mung beans, soaked in water for 3 hours and drained
500 ml Coconut milk
50 g Caster (superfine) sugar
Toasted coconut shavings (optional), to serve


Method :

*Put the mung beans in a pan and pour in 500 ml water.

*Bring the water to the boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer until all the water has been absorbed.

*Press the beans through a sieve, or puree them in a blender.

*In a heavy pan, heat the coconut milk with the sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

*Gently stir in the pureed mung beans, making sure the soup is thoroughly mixed and heated through.

*Serve hot in warmed bowls sprinkled with toasted coconut shavings.

Mung Beans

Buy the bright yellow, peeled, split mung beans for this soup rather than the whole green ones.