Che Suong Sa Hat Luu (Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert)
If you ask me about the most popular Vietnamese dessert, it must be “chè.” The simple Vietnamese word “chè” refers to sweet soups, puddings, or desserts, all of which share one thing in common: they are sweet and refreshing. This post is about another fascinating type of “chè”: Vietnamese rainbow dessert – che suong sa hat luu. It’s a delightful combination of yellow mung bean paste, tapioca strips, tapioca cubes shaped like pomegranate seeds, agar-agar jelly, and a rich coconut milk sauce.
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Differences Between Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu (Rainbow Dessert) and Chè Ba Màu (Three-Color Dessert)
Before writing this post, I was also confused between chè sương sa hạt lựu (rainbow dessert) and chè ba màu (three-color dessert). That’s why I wanted to compare these two popular Vietnamese desserts.
Both desserts share the same base: yellow mung bean paste, made from peeled split mung beans, and coconut milk. However, their additional ingredients are different, giving each its distinct charm.
- Che Ba Mau (Vietnamese Three-Color Dessert)
Alongside the yellow mung bean paste and coconut milk, this dessert includes cooked red beans (red), and pandan jelly (green) made from pandan leaves and agar-agar powder. These three layers—yellow, red, and green—give the dessert its name, “three-color dessert.” - Che Suong Sa Hat Luu (Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert)
This dessert features agar-agar jelly (sương sa), tapioca cubes and/or tapioca strips (hạt lựu/ răng cưa), and various optional toppings like black grass jelly. The tapioca cubes, shaped like pomegranate seeds (hạt lựu), can be dyed in a variety of colors, making the dessert vibrant and colorful like a rainbow.
While they both showcase the beauty of Vietnamese chè, their ingredients and presentation make them unique and delightful in their own ways.
Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert Ingredients
Here’s a simple recipe for Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert (Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu):
Tapioca Cubes & Strips
- 300g dried tapioca cubes and strips (hạt lựu) (10.6 oz)
Yellow Mung Bean Paste
- 200g peeled split mung bean (7 oz)
- 100g sugar (3.5 oz)
White agar-agar jelly
- 12g agar-agar powder (0.4 oz)
- 100g sugar (3.5 oz)
- 1.5L water (6 cups)
Black grass jelly (optional)
- 25g black grass powder (optional) (0.9 oz)
- 50g sugar (1.7 oz)
- 1L water (4 cups)
Coconut Milk Sauce
- 400ml coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)
- 100ml water (3.4 fl oz)
- 150g sugar (5.3 oz)
- 2–3 stalks of pandan leaves (optional)
For the tapioca cubes (hạt lựu) and strips (răng cưa) , I used store-bought dried products for convenience. Making tapioca cubes and strips from scratch can be quite complicated and time-consuming, so I highly recommend using store-bought ones for convenience. They save you a lot of effort while still delivering great results. The other ingredients for this dessert can be easily found in Asian or Vietnamese grocery stores, making it simple to gather everything you need.
How to Make Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert
Here’s a detailed guide to making Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu:
Step 1. Cooking Tapioca Cubes/Strips
- Soak the dried tapioca cubes, tapioca strips, and peeled split mung beans in three separate bowls for 2 hours.
- After soaking for 2 hours, cook the tapioca cubes and strips separately. Tapioca cubes cook faster and only need about 20–30 minutes, while tapioca strips require 30–45 minutes. Once cooked, rinse them with cold water to prevent sticking.
Step 2. Making the Jelly
- Black Grass Jelly: Mix 50g of black grass powder and 50g of sugar with 1 liter of water. Note that you should gradually pour the water into the black grass powder instead of adding the powder to the water, as it clumps easily. Then, bring the mixture to a boil, pour it into a mold, and let it cool. (You can find a detailed guide to making black grass jelly here.)
- White Agar-Agar Jelly: Similarly, for agar-agar jelly, add 12g of agar-agar powder and 100g of sugar to a pot. Gradually add 1.5L water while stirring thoroughly to dissolve the powder. Once the agar-agar is fully dissolved, bring the mixture to a boil, pour it into a mold or container, and let it cool to set. Once the jellies have set, cut them into bite-sized cubes.
Step 3. Making Mung Bean Paste
- After soaking, boil 200g of peeled split mung beans. Once cooked, drain the water and mash or blend the beans into a smooth paste. Cook the mashed beans over low heat with 70–100g of sugar until the mixture thickens.
Step 4. Making Coconut Milk Sauce
- Wash the pandan leaves and tie them into a bundle.
- Mix 400ml of coconut milk with 100ml of water and 100–150g of sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat with pandan leaves, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot until it boils.
Step 5. Assembly
- Once all the components are ready, layer them in a glass to serve. Start with mung bean paste at the bottom, followed by jelly, tapioca cubes, and tapioca strips. Finally, pour the coconut milk sauce on top. For a chilled version, add crushed ice to fill the glass. Now, enjoy your Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert!
Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert (Che Suong Sa Hat Luu)
Another fascinating type of "chè": Vietnamese rainbow dessert - che suong sa hat luu. It’s a delightful combination of yellow mung bean paste, tapioca strips, tapioca cubes shaped like pomegranate seeds, agar-agar jelly, and a rich coconut milk sauce.
Ingredients
Tapioca Cubes & Strips
Yellow Mung Bean Paste
- 200g peeled split mung bean (7 oz)
- 100g sugar (3.5 oz)
White agar-agar jelly
- 12g agar-agar powder (0.4 oz)
- 100g sugar (3.5 oz)
- 1.5L water (6 cups)
Black grass jelly (optional)
- 25g black grass powder (optional) (0.9 oz)
- 50g sugar (1.7 oz)
- 1L water (4 cups)
Coconut Milk Sauce
- 400ml coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)
- 100ml water (3.4 fl oz)
- 150g sugar (5.3 oz)
- 2–3 stalks of pandan leaves (optional)
Instructions
Step 1. Cooking Tapioca Cubes/Strips
- Soak the dried tapioca cubes, tapioca strips, and peeled split mung beans in three separate bowls for 2 hours.
- After soaking for 2 hours, cook the tapioca cubes and strips separately. Tapioca cubes cook faster and only need about 20–30 minutes, while tapioca strips require 30–45 minutes. Once cooked, rinse them with cold water to prevent sticking.
Step 2. Making the Jelly
- Black Grass Jelly: Mix 50g of black grass powder and 50g of sugar with 1 liter of water. Note that you should gradually pour the water into the black grass powder instead of adding the powder to the water, as it clumps easily. Then, bring the mixture to a boil, pour it into a mold, and let it cool. (You can find a detailed guide to making black grass jelly here.)
- White Agar-Agar Jelly: Similarly, for agar-agar jelly, add 12g of agar-agar powder and 100g of sugar to a pot. Gradually add 1.5L water while stirring thoroughly to dissolve the powder. Once the agar-agar is fully dissolved, bring the mixture to a boil, pour it into a mold or container, and let it cool to set. Once the jellies have set, cut them into bite-sized cubes.
Step 3. Making Mung Bean Paste
- After soaking, boil 200g of peeled split mung beans. Once cooked, drain the water and mash or blend the beans into a smooth paste. Cook the mashed beans over low heat with 70–100g of sugar until the mixture thickens.
Step 4. Making Coconut Milk Sauce
- Wash the pandan leaves and tie them into a bundle.
- Mix 400ml of coconut milk with 100ml of water and 100–150g of sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat with pandan leaves, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot until it boils.
Step 5. Assembly
- Once all the components are ready, layer them in a glass to serve. Start with mung bean paste at the bottom, followed by jelly, tapioca cubes, and tapioca strips. Finally, pour the coconut milk sauce on top. For a chilled version, add crushed ice to fill the glass. Now, enjoy your Vietnamese Rainbow Dessert!
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Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 250gAmount Per Serving: Calories: 458
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Other Vietnamese “Che”
- Red Bean Sweet Soup (Chè Đậu Đỏ)
- Panna Cotta Sweet Soup (Chè Khúc Bạch)
- Mung Bean Sweet Soup (Chè Đậu Xanh)
- Pomelo Sweet Soup (Chè Bưởi)
- Sweet Potato Sweet Soup (Chè Khoai Lang)
- Lotus Seed Sweet Soup (Chè Táo Đỏ Hạt Sen)
- Black Bean Sweet Soup (Chè Đậu Đen)
- Glutinous Rice Balls (Chè Trôi Nước)
- Corn Sweet Soup (Chè Bắp)
- Tapioca Sweet Soup (Chè Bột Lọc)