Chè Bà Ba (Southern Vietnamese Sweet Coconut Soup)

Chè Bà Ba is like a warm hug from a Southern Vietnamese grandma — creamy coconut milk, tender sweet potatoes, and chewy tapioca swimming in a sweet, fragrant broth. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you slow down, smile, and savor the stories of the Mekong Delta in every spoonful.

Nguyên liệu

Starchy Base

1 sweet potato (peeled and cubed)
1 ear of sticky corn (kernels removed)
50g tapioca strips or pearls (bột khoai)
10 tbsp tapioca starch (bột năng)

Protein & Creaminess

150g roasted peanuts (shelled)
200g split mung beans (hulled)
500ml light coconut milk (from ~300g grated coconut)

Aromatics & Flavoring

4 pandan leaves (lá dứa, tied into knots)
500g sugar (adjust to taste)

Thành phần dinh dưỡng

For: Vegetarians and Vegans
Calories per serving: ~300–350 kcal (per medium bowl, ~250ml)

Key Nutrients

1. Complex Carbohydrates (40–45g)

Source: Sweet potato + corn + tapioca starch + sugar
Benefits: Provides steady energy, supports digestion, and enhances satiety.

2. Plant-based Protein (6–8g)

Source: Mung beans + peanuts
Benefits: Builds and repairs tissues, supports immune health, and helps balance blood sugar levels.

3. Healthy Fats (6–8g)

Source: Coconut milk
Benefits: Contains lauric acid for anti-inflammatory effects, supports skin, brain, and hormonal function.

4. Fiber (4–6g)

Source: Sweet potato + corn + legumes
Benefits: Aids digestion, promotes gut health, and slows sugar absorption.

5. Antioxidants & Phytochemicals

Beta-carotene (from sweet potato): Supports vision and immune function
Polyphenols (from peanuts and mung beans): Provide anti-inflammatory and heart-health benefits
Chlorophyll (from pandan leaves): Natural aroma enhancer and mild detoxifying effect

6. Essential Minerals

Magnesium & Potassium (from sweet potato + coconut milk): Support nerve and muscle function
Iron (from mung beans + peanuts): Helps red blood cell production
Zinc (from legumes): Boosts immune response and wound healing

Chế biến

1. Prepare the Ingredients

Soak tapioca pearls in about 500ml of water for 15–30 minutes until they expand. Rinse mung beans (hulled) and soak in just enough water to cover for 30–45 minutes.
Peel and wash sweet potatoes, then dice into small cubes. Wash and drain pandan leaves.
Rinse peanuts and boil for about 10–15 minutes (you can also steam them).
For the corn, remove the husk and silk, rinse, and grate the kernels using a knife or grater.

Bước 1 Sơ chế nguyên liệu Chè bà ba Nam Bộ

2. Steam and Blend the Mung Beans

After soaking, rinse the mung beans and steam them over high heat for about 10 minutes from when the water starts boiling.
Once steamed, divide the beans into two portions: blend one half into a smooth paste, and keep the other half whole.

Bước 2 Hấp và xay đậu xanh Chè bà ba Nam Bộ

3. Boil the Sweet Potatoes

Coat the sweet potato cubes with tapioca starch by placing them in a dish with 10 tablespoons of the starch and tossing well.
Bring 500ml of water to a boil in a pot. Add the coated sweet potatoes and boil for 5–7 minutes, or until the outer tapioca coating becomes translucent.
Once cooked, transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl of cold water, then strain well.

4. Cook the Sweet Soup

In a pot, add 500ml of thin coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil. Add the grated corn and cook for about 5 minutes.
Then, add the steamed mung beans, followed by the blended mung beans, soaked tapioca pearls, and pandan leaves. Stir well.
Simmer for 5–7 more minutes, then add the cooked sweet potatoes and boiled peanuts. Stir gently to prevent sticking.
Once the mixture reaches a strong boil, add 500g of sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely, taste, and adjust sweetness as needed. Turn off the heat.

5. Finished Product

Once cooked, Chè Bà Ba (also known as chè thưng) gives off an irresistible aroma of pandan and coconut milk. The mung beans add a rich, nutty flavor, while the sweet potatoes and peanuts bring a creamy softness, balanced by the chewy texture of the tapioca pearls.
All ingredients harmonize perfectly to create a comforting, delicious dessert that’s loved by all ages.

Câu chuyện

Chè Bà Ba is more than just a dessert — it’s a nostalgic taste of the Mekong Delta, where gentle rivers, coconut groves, and the laughter of village children paint a peaceful scene of southern Vietnam. The name “Bà Ba” refers to the traditional outfit worn by southern women — simple, modest, and elegant — and evokes the image of kind-hearted aunties lovingly stirring pots of sweet soup over wood-fired stoves.

This comforting dish blends humble, everyday ingredients like sweet potatoes, mung beans, corn, bột khoai (tapioca pearls), and peanuts, simmered together in creamy coconut milk. It’s often flavored with pandan leaves, giving the chè a delicate fragrance that fills the kitchen with the smell of home.

Chè Bà Ba carries with it the essence of community — shared at family gatherings, served at countryside markets, or ladled into bowls by street vendors who wear gentle smiles and tell stories of the past. It’s a dessert that speaks not only to the palate but also to the heart, reminding us of a simpler time when sweets were made with care, patience, and love.

Today, even as life moves faster, a warm bowl of Chè Bà Ba continues to bring people together, one spoonful at a time. Cách nấu chè bà ba dẻo ngon, thơm bùi đúng chuẩn Nam Bộ

(Chè Bà Ba – Southern Vietnamese Sweet Coconut Soup)

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