Monday, July 21, 2008

Chè Trôi Nước - Sticky Rice Dumplings with Caramel Ginger Syrup

Today I feel like making a sweet dish. This delicious sweet rice dumplings and Caramel Ginger Syrup can be served at anytime. I like to sprinke the top with toasted white sesame seeds, and some coconut milk. The sweet caramel is balanced with the slightly savory but sweet mung bean filling. Also, the fresh ginger adds a nice, little kick to entire dish. This is my one of my favorite Vietnamese sweet dessert.





Check out the whole pot. It is fun and easy to make.



Ingredients:
  • 1.5 cups of dry mung beans, soaked in water overnight.
  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 4-5 slabs Asian brown sugar
  • 8 cups of water
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and julienned into small strips
  • 3 heaping cups of glutinous [sticky] rice flour
  • 1 .5 cups of hot, boiling water
  • white sesame seeds
  • coconut milk

Method:

1) In a large bowl, combine glutinous rice flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually add enough warm water to form a soft pliable dough. Form the mixture into 3 cm balls.

2)Steam green beans until soft then blend (process) into a paste. Stir fry over low heat with remaining salt, 100 g sugar and 10 g chopped ginger. Stir fry until bean paste is dry.


3) Form mixture into balls, slightly smaller than the glutinous rice flour balls.

4) Flatten a glutinous rice flour ball and press a bean paste ball into it. Roll to enclose green bean paste fully.

5) Repeat with remaining glutinous rice flour balls and bean paste balls.

6) Bring 2 liters water to the boil then add balls in to cook. When balls float to the surface, remove then rinse under running water for 2 minutes.

7) Bring another 2 liters water to the boil then add in remaining sugar and ginger. Stir for 10 minutes.

8) Place glutinous rice balls in and return to the boil.

9) Serve glutinous rice balls with sugar syrup in a small bowl, topped with coconut milk syrup and sesame seeds.


3 comments:

Zulema said...

Hi Zoe! I was so happy to see this fabulous recipe that I've been craving for the longest time ever since I moved to another country I just couldn't get used to the idea in not having my typical Viet food fix, so this is also my favorite Viet dessert and I beg if you can place the recipe to make this delicious dessert! I want to surprise my husband with this dessert since he has never tasted Viet food and that's an abomination in my book. :D Thank you so much and PLEASE KEEP ON BLOGGING ALL THE WONDERFUL VIETNAMESE FOOD! IT'S THE BEST IN THE WORLD!

Zoe said...

Hi Zulema,
First of all, I would like to say thank you for visiting my blog :-) I have posted the recipe you requested. Hope your hubby likes the sweet dish.

-Zoe

Alex said...

Hi Zoe,

this recipe looks good and I will try it tomorrow!
For the topping, do you mean coconut milk (as in the ingredients list) or coconut milk syrup (ie. as in step 9). Do you add some of the brown sugar to the coconut milk? It's not quite clear to me.

Thanks
-Alex