Saturday, January 14, 2012

Lima Bean Dessert (Che dau Van)

Che dau van is another good Vietnamese dessert that my family loves to eat. However, the hard part is removing the skin of the beans before cooking. The original bean being used is the hyacinth bean. To try something new, I used the large lima beans instead. The taste is very similar to the hyacinth bean. It's also easier to peel the skin of the large lima beans.




Ingredients:

1 bag of large lima beans
1 bag of rock sugar or use regular sugar
1- 1 1/2 cup tapioca starch
2.5 quart water
2 cans coconut milk

Method:
1. Follow the instruction on how to fast soak the lima beans. Boil a pot of water and pour the beans in to boil for a coupon minutes on high and then turn it lower for a couple more minutes and then turn off heat. Cover the beans and let it soak for couple hours. Remove the skin afterward.

2. Boil 2.5 quart of water and then add in the lima beans and cook on low until bean soften but not crumbly.

3. Add in the sugar and taste. Then add in yellow coloring.

4. Mix the cornstarch with just enough water and slowly pour into the beans. Stir while pouring. Turn off heat when mixture is thicken. Do not over cook your beans or they will break in small pieces.

5. Now cook the coconut milk and sugar to taste with a dash of salt. Add in a little cornstarch mixture to thicken coconut milk. I usually add 3 tbsp sugar per can of coconut milk and 1-2 tbsp of cornstarch.

6. Serve hot or cold.