Che Dau Den, is Vietnamese sweet black bean with coconut milk soup. “Chè” in Vietnamese refers to all soupy, pudding-like desserts. This particular Chè recipe is made with “Đậu Đen” or black bean. It is a very common Vietnamese dessert that is typically served over crushed ice during Summer. With this Vietnamese black bean dessert, you can enjoy your sweets, while still taking advantage of the nutritional benefits.
There are quite a variety of toppings you can add to this black bean dessert. Some you can make at home, and most you can purchase at an Asian market.
- Tapioca pearls, also called “boba” (or “bubble” in bubble tea). You can purchase bags of dried tapioca pearls and boil them prior to serving at home. They also come in different sizes, which can be fun for the added texture. They can be added to either the hot or cold version.
- Grass jelly is a black jelly, typically unsweetened. You can purchase this in a can at any Vietnamese supermarket and most Asian grocery stores. It is best served with the cold version but can be added to the hot version as well.
- Almond jelly is jelly with almond flavor, this one is typically sweetened. Again, it can be found in a can at Asian markets, or you can make it at home. Best with the cold dessert but again can be added to the hot dessert as well.