National Dish Vietnam: Che Nhan Nhuc (Recipe)
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Cool, sweet and gently fragrant, Che Nhan Nhuc is the kind of dessert that turns a sweltering afternoon into a small celebration. This much-loved Vietnamese sweet soup brings together tender mung beans, delicate lotus seeds and chewy dried longan in a lightly sweetened broth that is served chilled. It is exotic without being fussy, and it offers a wonderful way to discover the gentler, more soothing side of Vietnamese cooking right in your own kitchen.
About Che Nhan Nhuc
Che Nhan Nhuc is a sweet Vietnamese soup that comes into its own on hot summer days. The dessert combines mung beans, lotus seeds and dried longan to create a flavour that is at once delicate and distinctive. Traditionally it is served lightly chilled, balancing a gentle sweetness with a refreshing finish. For anyone who loves Vietnamese food and is keen to try something new, this soothing dessert is an absolute must.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 50g dried mung beans
- 30g lotus seeds
- 50g dried longan
- 100g rock sugar
- 1 litre water
Shopping for the ingredients
The ingredients for Che Nhan Nhuc are easy to find in a well-stocked Asian grocery. Look out for good-quality mung beans and lotus seeds, as these form the backbone of the flavour. Dried longan can occasionally be harder to track down, but it is an essential part of the dessert and well worth the effort. If rock sugar is unavailable, ordinary household sugar makes a perfectly good substitute.
Preparing the dish
Begin by soaking the mung beans and lotus seeds in water overnight. This shortens the cooking time and improves the texture of both. The dried longan should also be soaked in warm water to bring out as much of its sweetness and tenderness as possible. While the ingredients soak, dissolve the rock sugar in a little water and set it aside, ready to use.
Step-by-step instructions
- Rinse the soaked mung beans and lotus seeds, then tip them into a pan with 1 litre of water.
- Bring to the boil over a medium heat and simmer for around 20 minutes, until the mung beans are soft.
- Add the soaked longan and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Stir in the dissolved rock sugar and mix well until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Let the sweet soup cool slightly, then serve it chilled.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Che Nhan Nhuc is naturally gluten-free and lactose-free, which makes it ideal for anyone with these intolerances. Just take care not to introduce any processed ingredients that might contain hidden gluten or lactose. Fresh, unprocessed ingredients are the key to a wholesome, easily digestible dessert that everyone can enjoy.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
This recipe is completely vegan, since it contains no animal products whatsoever. Plant-based ingredients such as mung beans, lotus seeds and longan come together in a balanced and genuinely healthy dessert. Vegans and vegetarians can tuck into this sweet soup without a second thought and revel in its exotic range of flavours.
More tips and tricks
To deepen the flavour of Che Nhan Nhuc, use the water in which the mung beans and lotus seeds were soaked as part of the recipe — it lends the dessert extra aroma. The sweetness is easy to adjust to taste simply by adding a little more or a little less rock sugar. You can also play with the consistency by varying the cooking time, fine-tuning the dessert until it is exactly how you like it.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Although Che Nhan Nhuc is delicious in its traditional form, the recipe is easy to tailor to personal preference. Stir in fresh fruit such as mango or coconut for a tropical lift, much as you might in a coconut-rich treat like Banh Lot Nuoc Dua. Other dried fruits, such as goji berries or dates, also make an interesting variation worth exploring.
Ingredient substitutions
If any of the ingredients prove tricky to find, there are several good alternatives to fall back on. In place of longan you can use dried lychee, which offers a similar flavour and texture. Lotus seeds can be swapped for cashew nuts, which bring a pleasant nutty note to the dessert — the same mung bean magic that shines in Banh Dau Xanh or a comforting bowl of Xôi Đậu Xanh.
Drink pairing ideas
Che Nhan Nhuc pairs beautifully with a Vietnamese jasmine tea, whose fragrance complements the dessert’s gentle sweetness. A glass of refreshing coconut water also makes a lovely accompaniment. For something a little more festive, try serving the dessert alongside a chilled glass of lychee juice.
Serving and presentation ideas
Thoughtful presentation can heighten the pleasure of this sweet dessert. Serve the soup in small glass bowls to show off the pretty colours of the ingredients. Garnish with a few fresh longan or some finely chopped carrot for an extra dash of colour, and add a sprig of fresh mint for both decoration and a touch of freshness.
A bit of history
Che Nhan Nhuc is a traditional Vietnamese dessert with deep roots in the culture and history of Vietnam. It was originally served as a cooling refreshment on hot summer days, and the ingredients it relies on all have a long history in Vietnamese cooking. Mung beans and lotus seeds have been valued for their health-giving properties for centuries and remain an essential part of many dishes within Vietnamese cuisine, from sweet soups to savoury classics like Xoi Dua.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Che Nhan Nhuc
Che Nhan Nhuc is an exotic and refreshing dessert that is perfectly suited to warm days. With its combination of mung beans, lotus seeds and dried longan, it delivers a flavour experience all of its own. Its straightforward preparation and the many ways it can be adapted make it an ideal sweet treat for any occasion. Give this traditional Vietnamese dessert a try, and let its unique aromas work their magic.
