Chè Trôi Nước (Glutinous Rice Balls)
Traditional Vietnamese dessert using glutinous rice and mung beans drizzled in ginger simple syrup.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Ingredients for the glutinous rice balls:
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ¼ cups water add 1 tbsp as needed
Ingredients for the mung bean filling:
- ½ cup peeled mung beans soaked overnight and rinsed.
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar more if you want a sweeter filling.
- 2 tsp vanilla
Ingredients for the ginger simple syrup:
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar add more sugar if you want it to be more sweet
Ingredients for toppings:
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
Instructions
Instructions to make the glutinous rice dough:
- Measure out the glutinous rice and add the water to it.
- Mix it until the water and the flour combine. When it forms into a ball and will no longer stick to your hands, it is done.
- Cover the dough with plastic and set it aside for 30 minutes to rest.
Ingredients for making the mung bean filling:
- Soak the mung beans overnight and rinse it with fresh water 3X.
- Place the mung beans in a pot with water & let it cook until the mung beans are soft and is easily mashed. If you need to add more water to the pot, add 2 TBSP at a time.
- Add sugar, salt and vanilla to the cooked mung beans. Set it aside to cool completely.
- After the mung beans have cooled completely, use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the mung beans. Using your hands, roll the mung beans into a ball and set it aside.
Instructions for assembling the glutinous rice balls:
- Pour water into a pot and let it come to a boil, covered.
- After the glutinous dough is done resting, use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough into your palm. Using your hands, spread the dough out into a medium sized round disc.
- Take the mung bean ball and place it in the middle of the glutinous rice dough.
- Gently roll the sides of the dough over the mung bean. Make sure the dough fully covers the entire mung bean filling.
- Then gently shape the filled dough into round balls and set aside.
- Continue until all the dough and filling are used.
- Place the glutinous balls into the boiling water. It will initially sink to the bottom. When the balls floats to the top, remove it from the boiling pot and place them on a plate or bowl.
Instructions for making the ginger simple syrup:
- Add the water and sugar into a pot & bring it to a boil. Then add in the vanilla and freshly grated ginger. Give the simple syrup a taste and adjust the sweetness accordingly.
Instructions for assembling the dessert:
- To serve, place the glutinous rice balls in a bowl. Add the ginger simple syrup and a generous serving of coconut milk. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top if desired.