Che Kiem (Southern Vietnamese Vegan Coconut Che), No Added Refined Sugar

Method

1. Soak the wood ear mushroom and the tapioca until soft. Peel the sweet potato, cut it into 3cm chunks, and soak it in salted water for 15 minutes. Peel the cooking bananas and soak them alongside.
2. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into thick chunks. Rinse the sweet potato, pumpkin and banana after soaking.
3. Toss the sweet potato and pumpkin with 5 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1 teaspoon salt and leave for 30 minutes.
4. Rub and rinse the wood ear mushroom through 3 to 4 changes of water, trim off the hard base, and slice it into strips. Thin the second press of coconut milk with water to make 2 liters.
5. Put the sweet potato, pumpkin, tapioca and thin coconut milk into a pot, cover, and bring to a boil, then add the banana and cook until the potato and pumpkin are just tender, skimming as you go.
6. Add the wood ear mushroom and the thick coconut milk with 3 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1 teaspoon salt, bring it back to a boil, and turn off the heat.

Tips

• Look for large, thick wood ear mushrooms with a dark amber, slightly glossy top.
• In the south this is often eaten with hot rice or with bread.
• Add the kOBE Monk Fruit Blend while the pot is still hot and stir until it has fully dissolved.
• Skimming while it cooks keeps the pot clear and stops it turning sour early.
• The thick coconut milk goes in last and the heat comes off as soon as it boils again, since long cooking splits it.