Chè Ba Màu

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the split yellow mung beans under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Put them in a small saucepan with the water and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring once or twice near the end, until the beans are soft and fluffy and most of the water is absorbed. They should mash easily but not be soupy.

2. 2

   While the mung beans cook, combine the coconut milk, sugar, salt, and pandan leaf in another small saucepan. Heat over medium-low for 3-4 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves fully. Do not let it boil hard or the coconut milk can split. Remove from the heat and discard the pandan leaf.

3. 3

   Check the mung beans: if they are tender and dry enough to hold softly on a spoon, take them off the heat. If there is excess water, cook 1-2 minutes more. Let them cool for about 5 minutes so the layers stay distinct when assembled.

4. 4

   Prepare the serving glasses or bowls. Divide the red kidney beans between 2 servings, then add the green jelly noodles, then spoon the warm or room-temperature mung beans on top. Keeping the layers separate gives the classic three-color look.

5. 5

   Top each serving with crushed ice, then pour over the sweet pandan coconut milk. Serve immediately with a long spoon so everything can be mixed together just before eating.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •To fit a 30-minute beginner-friendly timeline, this version uses cooked canned kidney beans and ready-made jelly noodles.
• •If you prefer a sweeter dessert, increase the sugar to 60-70 g.
• •For the best texture, serve when the mung beans are just cooled and the ice is freshly crushed.
• •If pandan leaf is unavailable, use 2-3 drops of pandan extract in the coconut milk after heating.

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