30-Minute Che Chuoi (Vietnamese Banana Tapioca Pudding)

5 from 2 ratings

30-Minute Che Chuoi (Vietnamese Banana Tapioca Pudding)

Che Chuoi (Vietnamese Banana Tapioca Pudding) is a staple dessert in Vietnamese cuisine. This dairy-free, gluten-free tapioca pudding is made with a sweetened coconut sauce, small tapioca pearls, and bananas.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: che chuoi, che chuoi recipe, Vietnamese banana tapioca pudding

Servings: people

Calories: 526kcal

Author: Becca Du

Ingredients

Che Chuoi

⅓ cup small tapioca pearls
2 cups water
4 pandan leaves tied into knots
1 can coconut cream 13.5 oz
5 Thai bananas or plantains
¼ cup + 2 tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt

Toppings

1 tbsp sesame seeds toasted, crushed
2 tbsp peanuts toasted, crushed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Soak ⅓ cup of small tapioca pearls in warm water for 20 minutes.
While the pearls are soaking, combine 2 cups of water and 4 pandan leaves in a large sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and turn off the heat. Let the pandan leaves steep for 20 minutes while you prep your other ingredients.
Cut 5 Thai bananas into thin pieces. I like to cut diagonally to get longer strips of banana pieces. Sprinkle 2 tsp of granulated sugar on the bananas and set aside.
After the tapioca pearls have soaked for 20 minutes, drain and add them to the sauce pan with the pandan water.
Follow that with 1 can of coconut cream, the sliced Thai bananas from step 3, ¼ cup of granulated sugar and ½ tsp of salt. Turn the heat back on and bring to a simmer. Stir to bring everything together.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Combine 1 tbsp of sesame seeds and 2 tbsp of peanuts for the topping. I like to throw them into a mortar and pestle and crush both ingredients. You can also use the handle of a knife and a small bowl.
Remove the pandan leaves and serve. You can also let the dessert cool for 10-15 minutes. As the pudding cools, it will thicken and the tapioca pearls will expand more. Serve the dessert topped with the sesame peanut topping.

Notes

Adjust the sweetness to your preferences. I personally think 1/4 cup of sugar is the perfect amount, but you can use more or less.
If you want a more water-y dessert, use coconut milk instead of coconut cream or add more water. If you want it thicker, use less water or add a corn starch slurry.
You can also customize the amount of small tapioca pearls. Keep in mind that they will expand a lot, so while initially, it might not look like a lot, a little goes a long way.
If you can't find pandan leaves, use a few drops of pandan extract or completely leave it out.

Nutrition