Japanese-Style Vietnamese Che Dessert

This is my copy-cat version of the Japanese-style che I had at Tokyo Soup Stock in Japan that had the perfect combination of flavours and textures. The sweet essence of the milky strawberry base is made even better with chewy shiratama dango, soft azuki bean paste, and crunchy granola.

This fusion dessert takes inspiration from the beloved Vietnamese Chè, a sweet soup-like treat but recreates it with Japanese elements. What is Vietnamese Che Dessert ?

Chè are traditional Vietnamese desserts made of sweet dessert soups or pudding. This dessert soup typically features a variety of elements like beans; fresh fruits like mango, jackfruit. Lychee, or canned fruit/fruit cocktail; jellies like coconut jelly or pandan jelly made from agar-agar or gelatin; pearls or red rubies made from water chestnuts and tapioca starch coloured with red food coloring; and coconut sauce or coconut cream.

These elements are not common in Japanese cuisine so this recipe puts a Japanese spin on a typical Vietnamese chè. I had this dessert at Tokyo Soup Stock in Kyoto and it was so delicious, I immediately had to recreate it at home.

It substitutes the classic chè thái components with azuki red bean paste, strawberries, vanilla ice cream, condensed milk, granola, and shiratama dango. It’s perfectly suited to Japanese tastes and has a delicious bright and fruity taste and a tasty combination of crunchy and chewy texture.

This is a great dessert for a hot day because it’s so refreshing!

Here is what you’ll need to make Japanese-style chè

The granola add a nice crunchy element to contrast the soft shiratama dango.

Yude Azuki (Cooked azuki beans) or Tsubu Anko

You can use Japanese sweet red bean paste with whole beans or a smooth red bean paste.

It adds a rich, sweet savor and interesting texture. Fresh strawberries bring a burst of fruity flavor and vibrant color to the mixture. They also add a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the red bean paste and taste delicious with the condensed milk.

Shiratama dango are chewy Japanese rice flour dumplings. They add a delightful, mochi-like texture to the dessert.

Condensed Milk

Condensed milk adds creamy sweetness to the dessert.

It’s thicker and more concentrated than regular milk so it adds a luscious texture to the chè.

Vanilla ice cream

Ice cream brings a chilled and creamy element to the dessert.

It melts slightly into the warm components, creating a delicious sweet milky strawberry taste. Adding a bit of milk is needed for this soupy style dessert.

Instructions to Make the Vietnamese Che Dessert

This dessert is very easy to make and only requires cooking of the shiratama dango.

The rest is all just assembly. Here are the basic steps:

Make the Shiratama dango

- Prepare the shiratama dango (full method here) by combining shiratamako and water then boil and simmer and scoop into a bowl of icy water.

- In a serving glass or bowl, layer the granola at the bottom. - Add a layer of cooked azuki beans or tsubu anko and drizzle condensed milk over the layer.

- Place several shiratama dango on top. - Add one scoop of vanilla ice cream over the shiratama dango.

- Add a layer of finely chopped strawberry pieces and pour the cold milk over the layers.

Variations of Vietnamese Che Dessert

This Japanese-style Vietnamese che is one variation of this versatile dessert. There are numerous more variations but the base often consists of sweetened coconut milk with a variety of fillings.

Here are some popular versions: - Che Ba Mau (Three Color Dessert) with layers of red beans, mung beans, and pandan jelly

- Che Troi Nuoc, featuring glutinous rice balls filled with mung bean paste in a ginger syrup - Che Chuoi, a comforting Vietnamese banana and tapioca pearls dessert. - Other variations incorporate components like taro, grass jelly, sago pearls, peanuts, corn, lotus seeds, pomegranate seeds, or even durian if you’re a fan of its distinctive taste.

Shiho’s kitchen Tips to Make Che Dessert

- Use fresh components: fresh in-season strawberries will bring out a lot of flavour in the dessert and make it much tastier and naturally sweet. - Balance sweetness: adjust the sweetness by changing the amount of condensed milk and sweet azuki bean paste to your taste.

- Garnish creatively: top your che with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, or a sprinkle of matcha powder for added savor. - Eat it fresh: if you leave the shiratama dango stored overnight, it can become overly soggy and slimy so it’s best to prepare the whole dessert shortly before you plan to eat it.

Japanese-Style Vietnamese Che Dessert

- 2 tbsp Anko sweet red bean paste or 30g *1

- 2 tsp condensed milk to drizzle - 2 scoop vanilla ice cream - Make anko azuki bean paste a day before and shiratama dango just before assembling the che dessert. *3

- Gather all other elements and chop up strawberries into small cubes.

Assembling Che Dessert

- Layer the granola at the bottom of each glass (2 tbsp each). - Add a layer of cooked azuki beans or tsubu anko and drizzle condensed milk over the layer.

- Place several shiratama dango on top. - Add one scoop of vanilla ice cream over the shiratama dango to each glass.

- Add a layer of finely chopped strawberry pieces and pour the cold milk over the layers. - Sprinkle more granola to garnish.