Che Ba Mau

Vietnamese three-color dessert with sweetened beans, pandan jelly, coconut milk, and ice.

Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 0 min · Total: 20 min · 4 servings

Ingredients

• 200 g ready-to-eat sweetened yellow mung bean paste — Use fully cooked prepared beans; do not use dry beans.
• 200 g ready-to-eat sweetened red beans — Use fully cooked prepared beans; do not use dry beans.
• 250 g ready-to-eat green pandan jelly — Cut into small cubes.
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 500 g potable crushed ice

Instructions

1. Prepare the layers

   Keep 200 g ready-to-eat sweetened yellow mung bean paste, 200 g ready-to-eat sweetened red beans, and 400 ml coconut milk chilled. Cut 250 g ready-to-eat green pandan jelly into small cubes and chill four serving glasses while preparing.

   The beans are already tender and the jelly is cubed.

2. Build the dessert

   Divide the beans and pandan jelly evenly among four glasses: 50 g of each bean layer and 62.5 g jelly per glass. Add 125 g potable crushed ice to each, then pour 100 ml chilled coconut milk over each. Assemble within 10 minutes and serve immediately; do not chill after adding ice.

   Red, yellow, and green layers remain visible under the coconut milk and firm ice.

   Assemble chè ba màu: 600 seconds

3. Mix and serve

   At the table, stir gently and eat while the ice remains firm; do not store assembled glasses with melted ice.

   The dessert is cold and the ice is still firm.

Tips

• The red beans, yellow mung beans, and green pandan jelly make the three colors.
• Check packaged beans, jelly, and coconut milk for allergens and gelatin if a vegetarian dessert is needed.

Common mistakes

• Do not substitute dry or undercooked beans for the specified ready-to-eat beans.
• Adding ice too early lets it melt and dilutes the layers.

Substitutions

• Use the same amount of ready-to-eat green grass jelly if pandan jelly is unavailable; the flavor will differ.

Storage

Keep unassembled bean and jelly layers and coconut milk separately covered at 4°C or colder for up to 2 days after opening, or follow an earlier package date. Refrigerate within 2 hours; do not store assembled glasses with melted ice.

Reheating

Do not reheat; assemble with fresh potable ice and serve chilled.

About this recipe

Chè ba màu is a Vietnamese three-color dessert with sweet red beans, yellow mung beans, and green jelly under coconut milk and ice.

Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.