Mung Beans Tapioca Pearls Pudding

Good afternoon from the Carribean!

Another lovely day we have! I just got back from picking up my daughter from school. On the way, she and her little brother asked if they can have ice-cream to which I agreed. I decided not to have one because I already planned a delicious Khmer pudding. Another day, another dessert! This time it is mung beans pudding with tapioca pearls and coconut milk sauce. Very popular in my country!
As soon as I got home, I began to soak the mung beans and pacing up and down the kitchen, getting all what I need to prepare the pudding. 

I have a great memory with this dessert as it is my parents' favourite so we got to eat quite a lot as a kid. They made it in various versions, sometimes it was made with roasted mung beans (lovely aroma) with sliced coconut flesh and another time they delighted us with colourful dried shredded tapioca strings in that pudding. Imagine our excitement!

What I was making today is rather quick and simple (again!) besides the 2 hours waiting for the mung beans to get soft before cooking. 

 

 Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cups mung beans

1 1/3 coconut milk
4 tbsp tapioca pearls
5 tbsp white or brown sugar
a pinch of salt

For the coconut milk sauce:

1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sugar
a pinch of salt

 Directions:

1. Drain the beans. Bring water to boil and put in mung beans. Let it continue to cook until the beans slightly split. Add tapioca pearls and stir frequently avoid the pearls being burned at the bottom of the pot. Cook until you notice only tiny white dots in each pearl. Pour in coconut milk, sugar and salt. Let it boil shortly and switch off the flame. Cover the pot. By doing so the tapioca pearls will still be completely cooked (fully transparent) from the heat in the pot but it won't burn at the bottom and you don't have to stand stirring anymore. :)

2. Put all ingredients for the sauce in a small sauce pan, bring to boil, stir and remove from the flame. 

Serving:
 

Put the pudding in a mug, jar or small bowl, pour the coconut milk sauce on top before eating. This pudding can be enjoyed lukewarm or chilled. I prefer it coming out from the fridge. I often feel the taste is more concentrated than when it is still lukewarm.

    

Hope you enjoy and have a lovely weekend!