Head Chef Nguyen Van Bong (Kaya Restaurant, Phu Yen Province) said, “After more than ten years cooking for many restaurants in many regions, what I love most is the diversity and deliciousness of fruits. I want to create a special dish of mixed fruits with many colors and distinctive flavors, a real Vietnamese Che (Chè) with one of the characteristics of Phu Yen, my hometown.” After a lot of trials, Kaya Che came into existence: in addition to the elegance and sweetness of many fruits, there is the unique aroma of durian, the sweet nutty flavor of mung beans and the creaminess of condensed coconut milk. He added some “dat” fruit, a wild fruit with a uniquely crisp-tender texture existing only in Central Vietnam. It is difficult to find “Dat” seeds; therefore, we can replace it with palmyra seeds or mangrove palm seeds. More uniquely, this glass of Che can be enjoyed in two ways: tasting the fruit first, then consuming the ice cream or mixing all of them to have a different, delicious and sweet Che for sunny days.
KAYA CHE
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Ingredients
- 100g unshelled Mung beans
- 400g finely grated coconut
- 3 pandan leaves
- 100ml whipping cream
- 200g rock sugar
- 900ml water
- 200ml warm water
- 100g durian flesh
- 100g “dat” or palmyra seeds
- 100g dragon fruit
- 100g ripe mangoes
- 10 canned rambutans
- 100g avocado
- 100g ripe papaya
- 10g jelly powder
- 100g ripe jackfruit
- 1g salt
Instructions
PROCESS
Preparation: Rinse the unshelled mung beans thoroughly, then soak in water for 3-4 hours to swell. Peel the dragon fruit, mango, papaya, avocado, palmyra seeds and then cut them all into 1cm cubes. Cut the jackfruit into shoestrings. Cut rambutans into halves. Place all of the cut fruit in the refrigerator. Smash the durian flesh. Add 200ml of warm water into the grated coconut to get coconut milk.
Make the sugar water: Put 200g rock sugar and 300ml water into a pan, stir constantly, then put the pan on low heat, add the pandan leaves; wait till the sugar is completely dissolved and reduced until it has a volume 200ml, turn off the oven and let it cool down.
Cook the mung beans: Put the soaked mung beans with 1g salt and 200ml water into a pan; bring them to a boil, skim off foam from the top, reduce heat, close the lid, and wait till the mung beans are cooked through, take them out and smash them.
Make the jelly: In a pan, dissolve the jelly powder in 400ml of water, put the pan on hot top stove, stir constantly until it comes to a boil, skim off foam from the top, pour it into the mold and leave it to cool; after that, cut it into shoestrings, about 5cm thick or into cubes.
Make the mix of condensed coconut milk: Put the smashed mung beans into a large bowl, add whipping cream, condensed coconut milk, durian, sugar water, mix them together until well combined, then put it in the refrigerator.
PRESENTATION
Put the fruits into glasses, then spoon over the coconut milk, add some shaved ice on the top, serve cold.
QUALITY CHECK
The fruits should be properly ripened, and cut into equally sized pieces; they should be mildly sweet and creamy, fragrant of durian and have a nutty taste of mung beans.
TIPS
Fruits should be properly ripened.
When making the jelly, you may add pandan leaves extract or red beet extract to obtain a more beautiful color.
EFFECTS OF THIS DISH
This dish helps foster body strength, tonify the nervous system, enhance energy, calm spirit, reduce thirst, create new fluids, improve digestion, cure constipation, increase urine output, stop artery blockage. It decreases bad cholesterol in blood, and prevents cancer. It is beneficial to those with physical weakness, anemia, mineral deficiency, and those who experience overexertion. It is helpful for those with indigestion, digestive disorders (stomach and intestine), overstimulation, thirst, hot flashes and restlessness; those who have heart failure, insomnia, palpitation, and anxiety; those with kidney stones, urinary stone disease, and difficult urination.
NUTRITION FACTS
Notes
NGUYEN VAN BONG Kaya Hotel (Phu Yen Province) Runner-up in the Southern Regional semi-final round of the Golden Spoon Awards 2013
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