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Sweets

Che bap (Vietnamese sweet corn, tapioca and coconut milk)

Published: 05.03.2022 » Last updated: 05.03.2022

Che bap is often labeled a dessert pudding in the Western world, but it isn’t exactly that. In the first place, dessert is a Western concept; so is pudding.

Che bap topped with coconut sauce and toasted sesame seeds

Che is a generic term for a wide array of Vietnamese sweets which can range from soupy to almost dry. Che can have beans, peas, fruits, jelly, root crops or glutinous rice. Che bap has corn and tapioca pearls or, occasionally, rice. Unlike Western pudding, che bap isn’t firm but, rather, has a consistency that’s similar to thick porridge.

How is che bap eaten? Here’s one thing I learned in Vietnam. If you order che bap in a restaurant that caters mostly to Western tourists, it will likely be listed as a dessert. But out on the streets where it is sold as street food, che bap is a sweet snack.

Ingredients for che bap: corn, pandan leaf and tapioca pearls

To make che bap, you’ll need sweet corn, pandan leaf, tapioca, sugar, salt, coconut milk and coconut cream. There are recipes that use tapioca powder dispersed in water to thicken che bap. While that will yield a thick che bap, I prefer the contrast in texture between the corn kernels and tapioca pearls. I used quick-cooking tapioca pearls.

Flavoring water by boiling pandan leaf and corn cobs

To make a flavorful and aromatic cooking liquid, the corn cobs and pandan leaf are boiled in water for about ten minutes. The corn cobs and pandan leaf are then removed and discarded.

Adding tapioca pearls and coconut milk to corn in pan

The corn kernels, sugar and salt are poured into the flavored water and cooked until the corn kernels are soft but not too mushy. The tapioca pearls go in next together with the coconut milk. The cooking continues until the mixture is has thickened.

Che bap after it has thickened

By the end of cooking time, the mixture should be thick but should still fall back into the pot when scooped with a ladle. The tapioca pearls should also be discernible as tiny translucent globes. If you find it too goopy, add more coconut milk and cook until simmering. Note that che bap will thicken some more as it cools. So, if you intend to serve it chilled, you might want the mixture to be a bit soupy when you turn off the heat.

Che bap (Vietnamese sweet corn, tapioca and coconut)

Connie Veneracion
Che bap can be served chilled, warm or at room temperature (personally, I like it warm). Serve in small bowls drizzled with coconut cream and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
Vietnamese che bap
Print Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ears sweet corn
  • 1 pandan leaf
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup quick-cooking tapioca pearls
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • ½ cup coconut cream
  • toasted sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, shave the corn kernels and set aside.
  • Pour six cups of water into a pot, add the corn cobs and pandan leaf, and boil for ten minutes.
  • Remove the corn cobs and pandan leaf, and discard.
  • Add the corn kernels to the boiling water.
  • Add the sugar and salt, and stir.
  • Boil for five to ten minutes then stir in the tapioca pearls and coconut milk.
  • Cook, stirring often, until thickened.
  • Taste and add more sugar or salt, or both, as needed.
  • Ladle the che bap into bowls, drizzle coconut cream on top and sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds.
Print Pin Recipe
Keyword Coconut Cream, Coconut Milk, Corn, Tapioca pearls

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Connie Veneracion, Chiang Mai, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Welcome to Umami Days, a blog that advocates innovative home cooking for pleasurable everyday dining. No trendy diets, no food fads and definitely no ludicrous recipe names like crustless quiche, noodleless pho or chocolate lasagna.

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