Chè trôi nước is a traditional Vietnamese dessert that is both delicious and visually stunning. This sweet and sticky treat features glutinous rice balls filled with mung bean paste and served in a sweet ginger syrup. Learn to make your own Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls with our simple recipe.
INGREDIENTS
14
RECIPE STEPS
15
TOTAL TIME
50 m
Why You Need This Recipe
- Vietnamese Glutinous Rice balls can be bought from Vietnamese grocery stores but the homemade version of this dessert is healthier.
- You can customise the filling and sweetness level of the glutinous rice balls to your liking.
- Making Chè trôi nước at home is a fun and engaging activity that the whole family can enjoy.
About Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls (Chè trôi nước)
Chè trôi nước is a traditional Vietnamese dessert that is both delicious and visually stunning. This sweet and sticky treat features glutinous rice balls filled with mung bean paste and served in a sweet ginger syrup.
It is the perfect way to finish a meal, and the dish’s combination of flavours and textures will leave your taste buds tingling.
Chè trôi nước is a popular Vietnamese dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries. The dish’s name translates to “dessert drifting in water” and is often served in Vietnam during festivals and celebrations like:
- Lunar New Year
- Winter Solstice Festival (Tết Đông Chí)
- Cold Food Festival (Tết Hàn Thực’)
Chè trôi nước is similar to the Chinese dish Tāng Yuán (汤圆) and has gained popularity around the world.
Star Ingredient
Glutinous Rice Flour (Bột gạo nếp)
As its name suggests, Glutinous Rice Flour is made by grinding Glutinous (or Sticky) Rice. It is a crucial ingredient to make Chè trôi nước because it creates the sticky (waxy) texture.
READ MORE: Why Glutinous Rice Flour is such as versatile ingredient →
Other Ingredients
- Mung Beans
- Coconut Milk
- Desiccated Coconut (optional)
- Fried Shallots
- White Sweet Potato
- Ginger
- Tapioca Flour
- Rice Flour
- Vanilla Essence
- Sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
- Crushed Peanuts (optional)
Scroll to the bottom to find the full list of ingredients and detailed recipe.
Prepping Tips
- Keep the glutinous rice balls covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
- If the syrup is too sweet, add a little more water to balance the flavour.
Complete Recipe Steps
Here’s a summary of the steps you need to follow to make Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls.
1
Rinse the mung beans twice with cold water and place into a steamer with white sweet potato. Steam for 30 minutes.
2
Once steamed, remove and mash the mung beans until smooth
Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card
3
Mash the white sweet potato separately and add to the glutinous rice flour for the dough. Add ⅓ of the warm water and mix to form a dough. Gradually add the rest of the water and mix into a smooth dough. Cover with cling wrap and set aside.
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How to Serve Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls
- Chè trôi nước can be served hot or cold, depending on your preference.
- It’s best enjoyed as a dessert after a meal, or as a sweet treat to share with friends and family.
- It can also be served in place of Tāng Yuán (汤圆) during the Winter Solstice Festival for an alternative flavour.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make the glutinous rice balls ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the glutinous rice balls ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Can I freeze the glutinous rice balls?
Yes, you can freeze the glutinous rice balls for up to 1 month. To reheat, simply drop them in boiling water for a few minutes until heated through.
Printable Recipe Card
Chè trôi nước is a delicious and unique dessert that is easy to make at home. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you can recreate this classic Vietnamese dessert and enjoy it anytime. So why not try making this sweet and sticky treat today?
Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls (Chè trôi nước)
Ingredients
Mung bean paste
- 150 g mung beans
- 80 ml coconut milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 70 g desiccated coconut
- 1 ½ tbsp fried shallots dried
Dough
- 50 g white sweet potato
- 400 g glutinous rice flour
- 360 ml water warm
Ginger syrup
- 1 l water
- 350 g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 70 g ginger sliced
Coconut sauce
- 320 ml coconut milk
- 250 ml water
- ⅓ tsp salt
- 1 tsp tapioca flour
- 3 ½ tsp rice flour
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
Garnish (optional)
- sprinkle sesame seeds toasted
- sprinkle peanuts crushed
Complete Recipe Steps
- Rinse the mung beans twice with cold water and place into a steamer with white sweet potato. Steam for 30 minutes.150 g mung beans, 50 g white sweet potato
- Once steamed, remove and mash the mung beans until smooth.
- Mash the white sweet potato separately and add to the glutinous rice flour for the dough. Add ⅓ of the warm water and mix to form a dough. Gradually add the rest of the water and mix into a smooth dough. Cover with cling wrap and set aside.400 g glutinous rice flour, 360 ml water
- Reserve 80 ml of coconut milk from the 400 ml can and add to the mashed mung beans. Add salt, sugar and desiccated coconut and/or shallots (if desired) and mix well. Roll the mung bean paste mixture into 24 even balls and set aside on a plate.80 ml coconut milk, ½ tsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar, 70 g desiccated coconut, 1 ½ tbsp fried shallots
- Add the 320 ml coconut milk, water, salt, tapioca flour, rice flour and vanilla essence to a medium saucepan on low-medium heat and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and set aside.320 ml coconut milk, ⅓ tsp salt, 1 tsp tapioca flour, 3 ½ tsp rice flour, ½ tsp vanilla essence, 250 ml water
- Pinch off approximately 30g of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten into a small, round disc then press your thumb a few times into the centre to form a pouch.
- Place one of the balls of mung bean into the pouch, then gather the edges of the dough and pinch them together to seal the filling inside. Roll the ball gently between your palms to create a smooth surface.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. If there is leftover dough, make little glutinous rice balls with no filling.
- In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.1 l water, 350 g sugar, 1 tsp salt
- Add the ginger, then reduce the heat to low and let the syrup simmer for 5 minutes.70 g ginger
- In a separate saucepan, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Carefully drop the glutinous rice balls into the boiling water and cook until they float to the surface (about 5-7 minutes).
- Use a ladle to transfer the cooked balls to the ginger syrup.
- Let the balls simmer in the ginger syrup for another 5 minutes.
- Serve the Chè trôi nước hot or cold, with the ginger syrup and a drizzle of coconut sauce.sprinkle sesame seeds, sprinkle peanuts
Notes
- Be sure to use glutinous rice flour, which is different from regular rice flour.
- As an alternative, you can substitute with other sweet fillings such as red bean paste or lotus seed paste.
- If the dough is too dry, add a little more water. If it's too wet, add more glutinous rice flour.
- It's important to keep the glutinous rice balls covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
- For a more pronounced ginger flavour, you can add more slices of ginger to the syrup.
- Leftover syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and used to sweeten tea or other desserts.
Looking forward to taste this rather special rice ball.