Che Hoa Cau (Mung Bean Soup with Kudzu Starch), No Added Refined Sugar
Sweets and drinksSweet SoupsVietnam15 minutes preparation, 35 minutes cooking
This sweet soup turns out crystal clear with the mung beans suspended through it. What makes it special is the faint pomelo blossom scent that rises the moment it is ladled out.
The tricky part is that the beans break apart easily and the liquid clouds just as easily. The beans steam for 20 minutes with the lid shut and no stirring, which is what keeps them whole. The kudzu starch goes into the pot in a slow stream with steady stirring.
This batch weighs about 1.3kg, at roughly 44 calories per 100g.
Method
Soak the mung beans for about 8 hours, changing the water 2 or 3 times so they do not sour, then drain.
Steam the beans for about 20 minutes with a little salt, keeping the lid shut and leaving them undisturbed so they stay whole. Once cooked, lift them gently into a separate bowl.
Put 1 liter of water in a pot, dissolve 150g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend in it and bring to a boil.
Mix the kudzu root starch with cold water in a separate bowl. Once the liquid boils, pour the slurry in slowly while stirring.
Cook about 2 minutes more, until the liquid turns from cloudy to clear.
Take the pot off the heat, add the mung beans and 1 vanilla powder vial, stir gently and ladle into bowls. Spoon coconut milk over the top to serve.
Tips
Kudzu root starch rather than tapioca starch is what keeps the beans suspended so they do not sink.
For a thick soup use 150g of starch, and for a lighter one use 100g.
Soak the beans about 8 hours and change the water 2 or 3 times so they do not sour.
Pour the starch in slowly with steady stirring and cook until the liquid turns from cloudy to clear.
The syrup has to be at a boil when the kudzu starch goes in, since cool liquid lets it settle into lumps at the bottom.
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.