Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ba Màu)

Servings: 10 Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Difficulty: Intermediate
A festive Vietnamsese dessert with colourful sticky rice balls, fragrant ginger syrup and creamy coconut sauce.
Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ba Màu) pinit

The Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ba Màu) is a delightful treat that holds a special place in my family, especially during the Tết festival. This pudding is a perfect harmony of taste, colour and warmth, making it an absolute favourite in our home.

Why it’s special

This dish consists of sticky rice balls filled with luscious coconut mung bean paste, dipped in fragrant ginger syrup, topped with coconut dressing, and sprinkled with crushed peanuts. Each bowl is a festival of flavours and textures. When prepared with three vibrant natural colours—dark pink from beetroot juice, light green from pandan leaves, and yellow from sweet potatoes—it becomes a true showstopper for Tết.

Each coloured rice ball has a distinct, delicate flavour, perfectly complementing the richness of the mung bean and coconut filling. The crushed peanuts on top add a delightful crunch, making this dish truly unforgettable.

Ingredients you’ll need

Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup ingredients

The sticky rice balls

  • Glutinous rice flour: Divided into three equal parts for the different coloured doughs.
  • Natural colour creators: Dark pink (beetroot juice), light green (pandan leaf juice), and yellow (sweet potato mash).

The mung bean and coconut filling

Refer to my detailed guide on Vietnamese Trio Sticky Rice (Xôi Ba Màu) for the ingredients and instructions to prepare the coconut mung bean paste. This paste creates the delicious mung bean and coconut filling for the Trio Sticky Rice Balls.

The ginger syrup

  • Fresh ginger (sliced into sticks).
  • Dark brown sugar.
  • Water.

The coconut sauce

  • Coconut milk.
  • Caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
  • Tapioca flour for thickening the sauce.

Step-by-step instructions to make the Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup

Preparing the mung bean and coconut filling

After the paste has cooled completely, roll it into small filling balls. Use your palms or a small cookie scoop to shape the paste into even portions. This step ensures a rich, sweet filling for your rice balls.

Making the coloured doughs

To make the dark pink dough, blend 2-3 cooked or raw beetroots with water, then strain the mixture through a sieve to extract the juice. Gradually mix the beetroot juice with one portion of glutinous rice flour and knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes to prevent from drying out.

Make the pink dough

For the light green dough, blend pandan leaves with water and strain the juice. Mix this juice into another portion of glutinous rice flour, kneading thoroughly to create a light green dough. Again, let it rest under a kitchen towel.

To make the yellow dough, peel and chop a sweet potato into slices and steam until soft. Mash the sweet potato and mix it with the remaining portion of glutinous rice flour. Add a little water as needed and knead until a soft yellow dough is achieved. Cover and let this dough rest as well.

Three doughs

Forming the sticky rice balls

Once the doughs have rested, work with one colour at a time to avoid mixing the colours. Take a small piece of dough slightly larger than one of the mung bean filling balls. Roll the dough piece into a ball.

Sticky rice balls

Flatten each dough ball into a disc using your palms. Place a filling ball in the centre and carefully wrap the dough around it, sealing the edges and rolling it again to form a smooth ball. Repeat this process with the other dough colour and fillings until all the dough and filling are used up.

Sticky rice balls with fillings

Cooking the sticky rice balls

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop the rice balls into the boiling water, gently stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking. Once the balls float to the surface, they are cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked rice balls into a large bowl of cold water. This step helps them maintain their shape and prevents overcooking.

Preparing the ginger syrup

After cooking the rice balls, clean the pot and add water, sliced ginger and dark brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the syrup is aromatic and bubbling, gently return the cooked rice balls to the pot. Let them simmer briefly before turning off the heat.

Cooked Sticky rice balls

Preparing the coconut sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, one tablespoon of caster sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat the mixture over low to medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid sticking or curdling. To thicken the sauce, mix one teaspoon of tapioca flour with a splash of water to form a slurry, then add it to the coconut milk. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and set aside.

Coconut sauce

Assembling the dessert

To serve, ladle three sticky rice balls – one of each colour – into a serving bowl. Pour the warm ginger syrup over the balls. Finish by drizzling the coconut sauce on top and sprinkling a generous amount of crushed peanuts over the dish. The result is a vibrant and delicious dessert that’s as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate.

Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Che troi nuoc ba mau)

Why you’ll love it

This dessert is more than just a treat. It’s a warm, comforting hug in a bowl. The ginger syrup adds a soothing heat, the coconut sauce provides creaminess and the crushed peanuts add a delightful crunch. The combination of flavours and textures makes this pudding irresistible, especially during colder months.

Celebrate Tết with this vibrant and festive Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup – a bowl of joy that brings family together. Happy cooking and Happy Tết (Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!).

Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ba Màu)

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 50 mins Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 10 Estimated Cost: $ 10

Description

Trio Sticky Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ba Màu) is a vibrant Tết dessert featuring colourful sticky rice balls filled with coconut mung bean paste, served in ginger syrup, topped with coconut sauce and crushed peanuts. A festive treat full of flavour!

Ingredients

Cooking Mode Disabled

For the Sticky Rice Balls

For the Mung Bean Filling

For the Ginger Syrup

For the Coconut sauce

Toppings

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Doughs
    • For each colour, mix the respective juice or mash with a portion of glutinous rice flour and knead until smooth. 
    • Cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes. 
  1. Making the Filling
    • Soak mung beans for 1 hour, then cook in water until soft. 
    • Combine mung beans with sugar, coconut, coconut milk and ginger in a non-stick pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 20 minutes). Set aside to cool. 
    • Roll into small filling balls.
  1. Form the Sticky Rice Balls
    • Wrap each filling ball with dough, roll it into smooth balls and set aside. 
  1. Cook the Sticky Rice Balls
    • Boil a large pot of water. Add rice balls and cook until they float. Transfer to cold water. 
  1. Prepare the Ginger Syrup
    • In a clean pot, boil water with ginger strips and dark brown sugar until aromatic. 
    • Return the rice balls to the pot and simmer for a minute or two. 
  1. Make the coconut sauce
    • Combine the coconut milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. 
    • Heat over low-medium heat, stirring constantly. 
    • Dissolve 1 teaspoon of tapioca flour in water, add it to the mixture, and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. 
  1. Assemble the Dessert
    • Place the three rice balls (one of each colour) in a bowl.
    • Add ginger syrup, drizzle coconut sauce, and sprinkle with crushed peanuts. 

Nutrition Facts

Servings 10


Amount Per Serving
Calories 457.99kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12.32g19%
Saturated Fat 10.42g53%
Sodium 34.41mg2%
Potassium 465.88mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 80.95g27%
Dietary Fiber 5.23g21%
Sugars 34.32g
Protein 8.4g17%

Vitamin A 1.2 IU
Vitamin C 1.95 mg
Calcium 66.15 mg
Iron 3.25 mg
Vitamin E 0.18 IU
Vitamin K 1.82 mcg
Thiamin 0.19 mg
Riboflavin 0.05 mg
Niacin 1.86 mg
Vitamin B6 0.28 mg
Folate 135.48 mcg
Phosphorus 163.76 mg
Magnesium 77.86 mg
Zinc 1.2 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: Trio Sticky Rice Balls, Che Troi Nuoc recipe, Vietnamese dessert for Tet

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Thao Bui

Food Blogger, Stylist and Photographer

Hi there, it’s lovely to meet you! I am a home cook, food lover and the founder of Summer and Spice. Originally from Hanoi, Vietnam—a city abundant in rich, diverse flavours—I now live in the UK with my husband and three kids.

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