Che Sen (Hanoi Lotus Seed Sweet Soup), Sweetened with Monk Fruit
Sweets and drinksSweet SoupsVietnam55 minutes
Che sen from Hanoi is a clean, cooling glass: lotus seeds cooked soft but still whole, soft black grass jelly and chewy coconut filled pearls. The hard part is the lotus seeds, which turn firm again if they go into the syrup too early.
The seeds simmer on their own in 1.5 liters of water, then come out while the cooking liquid is strained clear and sweetened. The pearls boil for 15 to 20 minutes and rest under a lid for the same length of time again.
This batch weighs about 2.6kg, at roughly 42 calories per 100g.
Method
Push out the green germ with a toothpick so the seeds are not bitter, peel off any remaining thin skin so the che does not darken, then wash 300 g of fresh lotus seeds.
For the pearls, dice the young coconut meat small for the filling. Put 150 g of tapioca starch in a large bowl with 25 to 30 g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and a little lime juice, which keeps the pearls clear.
Boil 150 ml of water and ladle it slowly into the starch, stirring so the starch cooks. Let it cool, then put on gloves and knead until the dough is smooth, pliable and not sticky. Break off small pieces, roll them into balls, flatten them, add the coconut filling and seal them back into balls.
Cut 300 g of black grass jelly into 1 cm cubes with a crinkle cutter.
Put the lotus seeds in a pot with 1.5 liters of water, bring to a boil, skim the foam, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Lift the seeds into a separate bowl.
Strain the cooking liquid clear, return it to the pot and add 180 g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and a pinch of coarse salt to lift the sweetness. Once it returns to a boil and everything has dissolved, skim the foam, add the lotus seeds, bring back to a boil and turn off the heat. Pour it out to cool so the seeds take on the sweetness.
Boil the pearls in a separate pot: bring water to a boil, cook the pearls for 15 to 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them rest under the lid for another 15 to 20 minutes. Lift them out, rinse in cooled boiled water and toss with a little kOBE Monk Fruit Blend.
Put ice in a glass, spoon in the pearls and the black grass jelly, then the lotus seeds. Pour the lotus syrup over and scatter grated coconut on top.
Tips
Kneading the pearl dough with very hot water and a little lime juice is what makes the pearls clear and pliable.
Boiled pearls should not go into ice water, which makes the starch firm up again. A rinse in cooled boiled water and a toss in kOBE Monk Fruit Blend is enough.
Removing the germ and the thin skin before simmering keeps the liquid clear and free of bitterness.
Simmer the lotus seeds gently for 15 to 20 minutes, since a hard boil splits them and clouds the liquid.
Cut the grass jelly with a crinkle knife so the pieces have edges, as smooth ones slide off the spoon.
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.