Chè Bắp (Vietnamese Corn Pudding Dessert)
Some of my favorite southeast Asian flavors coming together into a wonderul rice-based Vietnamese 'pudding'. We have glutinous rice paired with sweet corn, balanced with pandan aroma and a rich coconut cream topping.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 32 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 12 pandan leaves (washed & scrubbed thoroughly)
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup glutinous rice (rinsed and drained)
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 500 grams yellow corn kernels (raw (~2-3 cups))
- 100 grams sugar
- 200 ml coconut cream (~1/2 can)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or powder
- 2 pandan leaves (tied into ~3" large knots so it fits in the pot without cutting)
- 1 tbsp tapioca or corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
- 200 ml coconut cream (remaining ~1/2 can)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp tapioca or corn starch
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or powder
Instructions
- 1
Thoroughly wash and scrub pandan leaves, then blend with water until very finely blended. Strain and add pandan water into a thick, medium sized pot.
- 2
Add remaining Rice ingredients, bring to a boil on high, then lower heat to medium low and cover with a lid to maintain a low boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until glutinous rice is cooked all the way through, and no longer powdery or tough (test by eating a grain, or smashing a grain between your fingers). We want to aim for fully cooked past 'al dente' but not as soft as rice porridge. Stir the pot only once at the ~9 minute mark since stirring too often will release too much starch.
- 3
Add all Supporting Cast ingredients, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it hits a boil, lower to medium to maintain a low boil for ~10 minutes until the corn is fully cooked.
- 4
In a small bowl mix Thickener ingredients until fully combined, then add to the pot. Turn heat to high and continuously stir. When it hits a boil shut the heat off. This step is optional based on your thickness preference (or how much starch from the rice was released)--you can scale up or down as needed, but note that thickening properties of the starch don't take effect until after this hits a boil.
- 5
Using a small sauce pan, combine Coconut Cream Topping ingredients and heat on high continuously stirring. When it hits a boil, shut the heat off. Keep a lid on this afterwards until ready to serve to prevent the top layer from thickening.