Mung Beans Dessert (che dau xanh danh)

In Vietnam, this elegant dessert is always served on special occasions, like the New Year or memorial days. It is costly to make. This dessert will not appear on the streets of Saigon being sold by vendors. Because it is very special and too expensive to make for everyday consumption, it has always held a special place in my heart while growing up. I learned how to prepare this dessert as soon as I knew the ingredients are inexpensive and available to me. Even though this dessert is easy and quite cheap to make now in America, it still holds a special in my heart every time I make it because later in life I learned that it was my dad's favorite dessert as well. Now, I will always make this dessert on the day of his passing as a memorial.

Ingredients:
1 cup slit mung beans, skinned, soaked overnight
2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
3/4  to 1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup bot nep (sweet rice flour)
1 tbs vanilla

Directions:

Mix coconut milk and sweet rice flour together.

Drain the mung beans. Add water and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot and turn the heat off. Mung beans will continue cooking in the covered pot until soft and tender (about 15 minutes). Add sugar and the coconut mixture and cook further for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vanilla. Turn the heat off.

Use a handheld blender to mash the mung beans mixture. Blend the mixture until smooth and thick.

 It can be served hot or cold.