Chè hạt lựu means “pomegranate seed sweet soup”, but there’s no pomegranate in it. The red “seeds” are small cubes of water chestnut, dyed red, coated in flour and boiled, served with coconut milk and ice. It’s a cold dessert for hot days. Plan ahead: small tapioca pearls soak for about 30 minutes before cooking. If you buy large pearls, they need 1–2 hours. Ingredients For the “pomegranate seeds” Water chestnuts (củ năng) 2 tablespoons white sugar Red food colouring White flour (or cornstarch), for coating For the tapioca pearls Small tapioca pearls A little sugar or honey For the coconut sauce 1 cup water 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup coconut milk To serve Ice How to make chè hạt lựu 1. Prepare the water chestnuts and tapioca Peel the water chestnuts, dice them small and leave them in cold water. Soak the small tapioca pearls in water for about 30 minutes, then boil them for about 10 minutes. Large pearls need 1–2 hours of soaking before they go in the pot. Once boiled, put the pearls in cold water for about 1 minute, then drain and stir in a little sugar or honey to sweeten them and keep them chewy. 2. Colour the water chestnuts Drain the diced water chestnut and stir-fry it with the 2 tablespoons of sugar for about 3 minutes. Mix a little red food colouring into just enough water to cover the water chestnut. You can use any colour you like. Soak the pieces for about 10 minutes, until they turn red, then lift them out and drain. For a deeper colour, add more colouring. 3. Coat and cook the “seeds” This is the step the dish depends on most, so take your time with it. Let the coloured water chestnut dry, then tip it into a large bowl. Pour the white flour over and toss with your hands until every piece is coated. Shake the pieces in a sieve to get rid of the flour that hasn’t stuck. Boil the coated pieces the same way as the tapioca pearls in step 1. 4. Make the coconut sauce Bring the cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar to the boil. Add the 1/2 cup of coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes. 5. Serve Spoon the “pomegranate seeds” into a bowl or glass and add enough coconut milk. It’s more delicious with ice. Share:
