Banh Com Dua (Coconut Green Rice Cake with Mung Bean), No Added Refined Sugar
Sweets and drinksChilled DessertsVietnamAbout 1 hour, not counting the time to soak the beans
The wedding cake everyone knows makes banh com dua a common question. The appeal is chewy green com, a nutty mung bean filling and shredded coconut through the middle.
The tricky part is com that has not soaked long enough, which leaves the cake dry and stiff. The com goes into the warm syrup and rests 15 to 20 minutes to soften fully. Each layer is pressed down hard on cling film so the slices hold together.
This batch weighs about 642g, at roughly 249 calories per 100g. Wrapping each piece in banana leaf keeps it from drying out.
Method
Rinse 100g split mung beans, soak them 2 to 3 hours to soften, then steam them until cooked.
Mash the beans smooth, mix in 45g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook over low heat, adding 50ml coconut milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla, stirring until the mixture is thick and smooth. Let it cool.
Rinse 200g fresh com gently to clean it and drain.
Make the syrup: put the remaining 90g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend with 100ml water in a pot, stir until dissolved and bring it to a boil. Once dissolved, add the remaining 50ml coconut milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir well.
While the syrup is still warm, stir the com in until it soaks through, then rest it 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
Spread a layer of com on a surface lined with cling film and press it down firmly, spread a layer of mung bean filling over it, scatter 100g shredded coconut evenly, then top with another layer of com and press it down again.
Cut into bite sized pieces, and wrap each one in banana leaf or dong leaf to keep it from drying out.
Tips
The com has to be fresh, from young glutinous rice, for a tender, fragrant cake.
Press each layer down firmly so the slices do not crumble when cut.
Mix the com in while the syrup is still warm and rest it 15 minutes, since cool syrup never softens the com.
Let the cooked mung bean filling cool before spreading, as warm filling makes the com run and the layers lose their shape.
Wrap each piece in banana leaf or dong leaf so the surface does not dry out.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.