Chè Bưởi Recipe: Vietnamese Pomelo Sweet Soup

Chè bưởi is a Vietnamese dessert soup made from the white pith under the green skin of the pomelo. The pith is soaked until it is no longer bitter, then cut into cubes that stay a little crispy. They are served with mung beans in a thickened syrup, with crushed ice and a little coconut milk on top.

Plan ahead: the pith needs 5–6 hours in salt water and then 5–7 hours in sugar.

Ingredients

• 2 pomelos (you only use the white pith)
• 200 g hulled mung beans
• ½ bowl sugar
• 1 bowl tapioca starch
• 6 tablespoons salt, for soaking
• 5 g alum
• Pomelo attar (pomelo essence)

For the coconut sauce

• 200 ml coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon corn starch

How to make chè bưởi

1. Prepare the pith

Peel off the green outer skin of each pomelo, keeping the white layer underneath. Pull the white pith away from the fruit by hand and cut it into short strips.

2. Take the bitterness out

Rub the pith with 6 tablespoons of salt, pressing gently, then add 2 bowls of warm water and leave it to soak for 5–6 hours.

Rinse it several times in fresh water to wash out the salt.

Crush the alum, add it to 2 bowls of water and heat until it dissolves. Put the pith in this alum water for about 20 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly again.

Now taste a piece. If it is not bitter anymore, you can carry on. Press out as much water as you can and cut the pith into small cubes.

3. Sugar and coat the cubes

Toss the cubes with ¼ bowl of the sugar and leave them for 5–7 hours.

Roll the cubes in tapioca starch until every side is covered. Bring a pot of water to the boil and pour in all the cubes. Cook until they float, stirring gently with a spoon.

Cook until the cubes are clear, then lift them out and soak them straight away in cold water. Leave them to dry.

4. Make the coconut sauce

Pour the coconut milk into a pot and cook it over low heat. Do not stir while it cooks. Add ½ bowl tapioca starch and cook until it is thicker.

5. Cook the mung beans

Soak the mung beans in water for about 1 hour and drain them. Steam until soft.

6. Bring it together

Boil 2 bowls of water with the remaining sugar. When it boils, add the pith cubes and ½ bowl of the remaining tapioca starch mixed with ¼ bowl of water. Stir well until the dessert thickens.

Add the mung beans and stir over low heat. Taste and adjust the sugar, then turn off the heat and add the pomelo attar.

Scoop into small bowls, add crushed ice and pour a little coconut milk on top.