Vietnamese Banana Dessert Soup
Ingredients
- 4 pcBanana (peeled) (sliced)
- 400 mlCoconut milk
- 50 gTapioca or Japanese pearls (small pearls)
- 4 tbspWhite sugar
- 1 pinchGray sea salt
- 2 pcpandan leaves (knotted)
- 30 gPeanut (roasted and crushed)
- 1 tspSesame seed (toasted)
Method
A creamy soup where coconut milk generously coats melting banana slices. Tapioca pearls turn translucent, providing a soft texture that contrasts with the crunch of roasted peanuts.
- 1
Soak the tapioca pearls in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. They should soften slightly before cooking.
- 2
Peel the bananas and cut them into slices about 1 cm thick. If they are very ripe, cut them thicker so they don't turn into mush.
- 3
In a saucepan, pour the coconut milk and 200 ml of water. Add the knotted pandanus leaves. Bring to a simmer. Add the drained tapioca and stir until the pearls become transparent.
- 4
Add the bananas, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 5 minutes. The sauce should coat the spoon and the bananas should be tender to the core.
- 5
Coarsely crush the peanuts. Serve the soup warm in bowls, sprinkled with peanuts and sesame seeds for crunch.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get this dish right?
- Tapioca is cooked when the white dot in the center completely disappears.
- Do not boil the coconut milk too vigorously to prevent it from curdling.
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum natural sweetness.
How long does this dish keep?
Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently with a splash of water if the tapioca has absorbed too much liquid.
