Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu: Basic Information
Pronunciation
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Popular Variations
Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu: Origin and Region
Origin
Continent’s Region
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Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu: Ingredients and Preparation
Main Ingredients
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Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu: A Deep Dive
Cultural Significance
Taste
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Popular Similar Dishes
- Chè Đậu Xanh
- Chè Ba Màu
- Chè Bánh Lọt
- Sâm Bổ Lượng
Popular Dining Area
Chè sương sa hạt lưu is an attractive dessert in Vietnam, primarily composed of white jelly made from seaweeds and imitated pomegranate seeds. It is normally served cold and is more popular in Vietnam’s Southern part.
Chè is a big term for sweet dessert soup, but chè sương sa hạt lựu is akin to a drink dessert that diners can enjoy as a treat with the drinkability of a beverage.
Therefore, this sweet Vietnamese dessert is ideal for pleasing a sweet tooth while also providing refreshment and hydration.
Keep reading to know more about the ingredients in chè sương sa hạt lựu, its preparation steps, and other fascinating facts, including benefits, limitations, and questions often asked.
Plus, I’ll recommend other related “chè” treats of Vietnamese.
Key Points
What Are the Key Components in Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu?
As mentioned above, there are two key ingredients in chè sương sa hạt lựu, which is also in the name of this sweet dessert. Let’s dig deeper to understand more about it.
- Sương Sa: This is a type of jelly made from certain seaweeds or algae. It’s usually white with a soft, gelatinous texture. Sương sa is often mixed with other similar jellies like sương sâm (in green color) and served in a sweet syrup.
- Hạt Lựu: These are small, chewy balls resembling pomegranate seeds. They are typically made from tapioca starch or another similar starchy substance. Their chewy texture adds a contrasting mouthfeel to the smooth jelly of sương sa.
Other components like coconut milk, fresh milk, mashed mung beans, tapioca starch, and pandan leaves are also commonly added in chè sương sa hạt lựu. Some versions also include jelly-like rice flour jellies (called bánh lọt in Vietnamese).
FYI, to add texture to imitated pomegranate seeds, some recipes for this sweet dessert add small pieces of arrowroot inside the starchy seeds. Next, let’s find out its making methods.
How To Prepare Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu?
What follows are five typical steps for crafting Vietnamese with jelly and tapioca pomegranate seeds.
Step 1: Preparing Sương Sa
Dissolve jelly powder in water and let it expand, then cook the mixture and stir continuously until thickened. Pour the cooked mixture into molds or containers so it can set. Transfer it to the fridge to firm up quickly. Once done, cut the jelly into small square pieces.
Step 2: Preparing Pomegranate Seeds
Mix the tapioca starch, water, and pink color to create a dough. Cut the dough into very small pieces resembling the size of pomegranate seeds. After that, cook them in a boiled pot of water. Strain cooked pieces and soak them in ice water or cold water to make the seeds more translucent.
Step 3: Preparing Mashed Mung Beans
Cook the soaked beans until tender, add sugar, then mash them for a smoother texture.
Step 4: Making a Coconut Milk Mixture
Mix coconut milk, fresh milk, and sugar, and heat the mixture. Add a bit of tapioca starch to thicken the mixture. Keep the heat low and stir continuously, adding a few pandan leaves for aroma.
Step 5: Assembling and Serving
Layer the tapioca-based pomegranate seeds, mung beans, and jelly, and pour the coconut mixture over them. Add crushed ice and serve.
In the subsequent part, I’ll briefly explore the beneficial and less favorable aspects of chè sương sa hạt lựu.
Pros and Cons of Eating Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu
Here are a few points detailing the pluses and minuses of Vietnamese sweet soup including jelly and imitated pomegranate seeds.
Pros
Cons
Next, let’s tackle some common questions about this Vietnamese sweet dessert.
Truc Tran (Kris)
Senior Food Editor
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Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert
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Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.