Nga Nguyen

Vietnamese red beans and fruit jelly dessert

An example of how complicated French people are! Other Olympics posters vs. Paris Olympics 2024. Really??

Vietnamese red beans and fruit jelly dessert

(Adapted from Vanh Khuyen Le)

For 10 people

For the white jelly:
1 cans of coconut milk (about 400 ml)
1 cup water (about 250 ml)
3 tsp agar agar powder
A pinch of salt
3-4 tbs sugar

For the orange jelly:
Juice of 3 oranges (no pulp)
Add enough water to have 650 ml
3 tsp agar agar powder
A pinch of salt
5 tbs sugar or more (depending on the sweetness of the oranges)

For the green jelly:
650 ml water
1 bunch of pandan leaves (cleaned and chopped)
1 tsp pandan extract
A pinch of salt
3-4 tbs sugar

For the red beans:
2 cans of kidney beans (about 400 g each)
500 ml water
A pinch of salt
6 tbs sugar

For the coconut milk sauce:
1 can of coconut milk
A pinch of salt
3 tbs sugar
3 tbs water + 1 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract

To make the white jelly:

  1. In a saucepan, whisk coconut milk + water + agar agar powder + salt + sugar.
  2. Stir and simmer under medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the liquid is thicken.
  3. Pour into a flat container so that the jelly is about 1-cm thick.
  4. Let cool.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the yellow jelly:

  1. In a saucepan, whisk orange juice + water + agar agar powder + salt + sugar.
  2. Follow the same steps as above.

To make the green jelly:

  1. Use a food processor to blend the chopped pandan leaves + water.
  2. Discard the leaves.
  3. In a saucepan, whisk the pandan water + agar agar powder + salt + sugar.
  4. Follow the same steps as above.

To make the red beans:

  1. Drain and rinse the kidney beans.
  2. In a sauce pan, heat 500 ml water + a pinch of salt.
  3. Add the kidney beans and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add sugar to taste and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  5. Let cool.
  6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the coconut milk sauce:

  1. In a saucepan, whisk coconut milk + a pinch of salt.
  2. Simmer under low heat.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk 3 tbs water + 1 tbs cornstarch.
  4. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the coconut milk.
  5. Whisk and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
  6. Add vanilla extract.
  7. Let cool.
  8. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To serve:

  1. Cut the white, yellow, and green jelly into 1-cm cubes.
  2. In a small cup or bowl, add white, yellow, and green jelly cubes + drained red beans.
  3. Pour some syrups from the cooked red beans.
  4. Pour some coconut milk sauce.
  5. Add ice if using.
  6. Serve immediately.