- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 100 g
- 100 g
- 2 tsp
- 150 g
- 400 ml
- 1 pinch
- 1 ½ l
- 2 cups
Process
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Rinse the mung beans and red beans separately under cold water. Soak the mung beans in 500 ml water for 2 hours, and the red beans in 500 ml water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Drain the mung beans and steam them over medium heat for 15–20 minutes until soft and mashable. While still hot, mash with 50 g sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
Drain the red beans and simmer in 500 ml fresh water over medium heat for 30–40 minutes until tender but not mushy. Stir in 50 g sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.
For the pandan jelly: blend pandan leaves with 200 ml water, then strain to get pandan juice. In a small pot, combine agar-agar powder, 50 g sugar, and 300 ml water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes until agar-agar is fully dissolved.
Remove from heat and stir in the pandan juice. Pour the mixture into a shallow tray and let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cut into small cubes.
In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk with a pinch of salt over low heat. Do not boil. Keep warm.
To assemble: fill a tall glass with crushed ice. Add a layer of mung bean paste, then red beans, then pandan jelly cubes. Repeat layers if desired.
Pour the warm coconut milk over the top. Serve immediately with a long spoon.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- Do not overcook the red beans; they should hold their shape but be tender. Overcooking makes them mushy and cloudy.
- Agar-agar must be boiled for at least 2 minutes to activate; otherwise the jelly will not set properly.
- Assemble just before serving to prevent the ice from melting and diluting the dessert. If making ahead, keep components separate and chilled.
Substitutions
- pandan leaves→1 tsp pandan extract
- agar-agar powder→2 tsp powdered pectin (follow package instructions)
- red beans→canned red beans, rinsed and drained
Storage & reheating
Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Mung bean paste and red beans keep for up to 3 days; pandan jelly for up to 5 days; coconut milk for up to 4 days. Reheat coconut milk gently on low heat before serving. Assemble fresh with ice.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my pandan jelly not set?
The agar-agar was likely not boiled long enough. Agar-agar needs to be boiled for at least 2 minutes to fully dissolve and activate. Also, ensure you use the correct ratio: 2 tsp agar-agar powder to 300 ml water. If it still doesn't set, reheat the mixture, add a bit more agar-agar, and boil again.
Can I use canned beans instead of dried?
Yes, you can substitute canned red beans. Rinse and drain them well, then skip the soaking and simmering steps. For mung beans, canned is not common; if using canned mung beans, drain and mash with sugar. Adjust sweetness to taste.
How do I make this dessert vegan?
This recipe is already vegan as it uses coconut milk and no animal products. Just ensure your sugar is vegan-friendly (some are processed with bone char). All other ingredients are plant-based.
Can I prepare Che Ba Mau ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the components up to 3 days in advance. Store mung bean paste, red beans, pandan jelly, and coconut milk separately in the refrigerator. Assemble with ice just before serving to keep the layers distinct and prevent melting.
What can I use instead of pandan leaves?
If you cannot find fresh or frozen pandan leaves, you can use 1 teaspoon of pandan extract or 1/2 teaspoon pandan paste. Add it to the agar-agar mixture after removing from heat. Alternatively, you can omit pandan and make plain agar-agar jelly, though the flavor will be less authentic.
How long does Che Ba Mau keep in the fridge?
Assembled Che Ba Mau does not keep well because the ice melts and dilutes the dessert. However, the individual components can be stored in airtight containers: mung bean paste and red beans for up to 3 days, pandan jelly for up to 5 days, and coconut milk for up to 4 days. Reheat coconut milk gently before serving.
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