I’ve intended to cook this Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding again and share the recipe for a while and finally, I got round to it today. It’s safe to say that this is one of my all-time favourite Vietnamese sweet soups. I don’t know how it was first created, but I do know it’s a wonderfully clever dish that makes the most of Vietnam’s beloved fruit – the pomelo.
Vietnamese Pomelo
Growing up in Vietnam, I used to see pomelos only during festive occasions such as Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). It’s tradition for every household to include a pomelo (bưởi) on their shrine as one of the five fruits symbolising prosperity and happiness.
In recent decades, pomelos have become more widely enjoyed as a healthy, everyday fruit across Vietnam. You’ll find many varieties from north to south, with different levels of sweetness and tanginess. My personal favourite is the Green Skin Pomelo (Bưởi Da Xanh) with its stunning pinkish-red segments and fragrant aroma. You can find more information about Vietnamese Pomelo here.
You might have seen my Vietnamese Pomelo Salad recipe on the blog before – another way to celebrate this fruit. But today, it’s the pomelo’s thick white rind, not the juicy flesh, that takes centre stage.
Why use pomelo rind?
Yes, you read that right! The star of this Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding is the thick white rind between the outer green (or yellow) skin and the fruit segments. When prepared properly, the rind loses its bitterness and becomes slightly crunchy – adding wonderful texture to the sweet pudding.
The secret lies in washing, squeezing, and boiling the rind enough times to remove its bitterness while keeping that unique texture. Don’t worry, I’ll guide you through all the steps so you can make this delicious dessert at home too.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Pomelo (Green Skin or Honey Pomelo)
- Split mung beans
- Coarse salt
- Caster sugar (for marinating the rind and for coconut sauce)
- Tapioca flour (for coating the rind and for slurry)
- Dark brown sugar (for syrup)
- Coconut milk
- Pinch of salt
How to make Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding
1. Prepare the mung beans
Soak the split mung beans in warm water for couple of hours, then steam for around 10-15 minutes until soft but not mushy. I usually place them in a muslin bag for easy handling.
2. Prepare and clean the pomelo rind
Peel the pomelo and remove the thick white rind. In the UK, you can find Green Skin Pomelo in Vietnamese supermarkets such as Long Dan, though it can be pricey (around £6 each). I often use Honey Pomelo from Lidl, which costs about a third of the price and has a lovely thick rind perfect for this pudding.
Remove all green skin, score the rind lengthwise (about 2cm apart) and peel off the sections. Cut into bite-sized pieces (1.5cm wide, 2cm long). Sprinkle coarse salt over the pieces, squeeze gently for a couple of minutes, then rinse. Repeat the rinse-and-squeeze process 4-5 times to ensure the rind is no longer bitter.
3. Blanch and marinate
Blanch the rind pieces briefly (30-40 seconds) in boiling salted water, then rinse under cold water and squeeze again. Repeat this rinsing and squeezing process 3-4 times.
Once dry and non-bitter, mix the rind with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and let it marinate for about two hours or until no sugar grains remain.
4. Cook the rind
Heat a pan over medium heat, add the sugar-marinated and stir constantly. Add small splashes of boiling water as needed until the pieces become glossy and transparent (about 5-7 minutes). While still hot, coat with 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour and mix well.
Boil a pot of water and add the tapioca-coated rind. Cook for 40-60 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water briefly to stop the cooking and keep the texture crunchy. Set aside.
5. Make the sweet soup base
In a large pot, combine water and dark brown sugar and bring to a boil. I prefer dark sugar for a deeper colour but light brown or caster sugar works too. Mix a tapioca slurry and slowly stir it into the sugar syrup until thickened.
Add the steamed mung beans and the cooked pomelo rind pieces. Stir gently so the mung beans keep their shape. Remove from heat.
6. Prepare the coconut sauce
In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk, sugar and a pinch of salt. Add a bit of tapioca slurry to thicken slightly then remove from the heat.
Serving suggestion
To serve, ladle a few spoonfuls of the Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding into a bowl and drizzle the warm coconut sauce over the top.
The pudding has a lovely combination of textures – soft mung beans, crunchy pomelo rind and smooth, fragrant coconut cream. Sweet, nutty and refreshing, this Vietnamese dessert can be enjoyed either slightly warm or cold.
Tips for success
- The key to perfect Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding is removing all bitterness from the rind – be patient during the rinsing steps.
- Use dark brown sugar if you like a rich caramel colour and flavour.
Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding (Chè Bưởi)
Description
This Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding (Chè Bưởi) is a traditional Vietnamese dessert that transforms humble pomelo rind into something magical. The rind becomes tender yet chewy and slightly crunchy, cooked with mung beans in a lightly sweet syrup and topped with creamy coconut sauce. A truly comforting and refreshing treat, perfect to enjoy warm or chilled.
Ingredients
For the pomelo rind
For the mung beans
For the syrup base
For the coconut sauce
Instructions
-
Prepare the mung beans
- Soak mung beans in warm water for at least 2 hours.
- Steam for around 10-15 minutes until soft but not mushy. Set aside.
-
Prepare the pomelo rind
- Peel the pomelo and remove the thick white rind.
- Cut into small strips (1.5cm wide, 2cm long).
- Rub with coarse salt, squeeze gently then rinse under running water.
- Repeat the rinse-and-squeeze process 4-5 times to remove bitterness.
-
Blanch and marinate
- Blanch rind pieces in boiling salted water for 30-40 seconds, rinse under cold water and squeeze dry.
- Repeat 3-4 more times until the rind is no longer bitter.
- Mix with 2 tablespoons sugar and let marinate for 2 hours or until dissolved.
-
Cook the rind
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the sugar-marinated rind.
- Stir continuously, adding small splashes of boiling water until the pieces turn translucent (5-7 minutes).
- While still hot, coat with tapioca flour.
- Boil a pot of water, add salt and the coated rind and cook for 40 seconds.
- Drain and rinse under icing cold water. Set aside.
-
Make the sweet soup base
- In a large pot, add water and dark brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Mix tapioca flour with water to form a slurry and gradually stir into the syrup until thickened.
- Add steamed mung beans and the cooked rind pieces. Stir gently and remove from heat.
-
Make the coconut sauce
- Combine coconut milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Add tapioca slurry to thicken slightly, then remove from heat.
-
To serve
- Ladle the Vietnamese Pomelo Rind Pudding into bowls.
- Drizzle with warm coconut sauce and serve warm or cold.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 257.5kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 10.4g16%
- Saturated Fat 9.09g46%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 0mg
- Sodium 460.32mg20%
- Potassium 370.34mg11%
- Total Carbohydrate 39.02g14%
- Dietary Fiber 3.12g13%
- Sugars 23.02g
- Protein 5.16g11%
- Vitamin A 15.86 mcg
- Vitamin C 9.27 mg
- Calcium 54.27 mg
- Iron 2.89 mg
- Vitamin D 0 mcg
- Vitamin E 0.11 mg
- Vitamin K 1.5 mcg
- Thiamin 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin 0.04 mg
- Niacin 0.74 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.09 mg
- Folate 114.35 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0 mcg
- Phosphorus 112.29 mg
- Magnesium 58.58 mg
- Zinc 0.75 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.
