Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run
Gather everything first, then follow the steps
Protein· 1
- 50 g mung beans (dry, pre-soaked)50g
Vegetables· 1
- 1 pandan leaf (knotted)(optional)3g
Sauces· 2
- 12 g palm sugar (1 tbsp, chopped)12g
- 30 g lite coconut milk (to drizzle)30g
Spices· 1
- small pinch of salt(staple)1g
Drain the pre-soaked mung beans, add them to a pot with the pandan leaf and about 250 ml water, bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower to a simmer.
Why? Pre-soaking lets the beans absorb water and soften their cell walls ahead of time, so the actual cook finishes within 30 min — skip the soak and the centres stay hard, needing nearly double the time.Tip: Soak the mung beans at least 4 hours (or overnight) — soaked beans soften in about 25 min, unsoaked ones take nearly twice as long.
Next up:Cover and simmer gently for about 20 min, stirring once or twice, until the beans split open and the liquid thickens.
- 20 min · hands-free
Cover and simmer gently for about 20 min, stirring once or twice, until the beans split open and the liquid thickens.
Why? Mung beans are naturally high in protein and fibre; slow simmering lets them break down so the pudding thickens on its own — no need to build body with sugar or lots of santan.20:00Next up:Stir in the chopped palm sugar and a small pinch of salt, mixing until the sugar fully dissolves, then cook 1 more min.
Stir in the chopped palm sugar and a small pinch of salt, mixing until the sugar fully dissolves, then cook 1 more min.
Why? The palm sugar goes in last and it's a measured tablespoon — the original is often sweetened by taste, which quietly doubles it. Softening the beans first, then sweetening, means far less sugar tastes like enough.Watch out: Palm sugar is the calorie villain here — don't add it by feel; even a small extra lump piles on the kcal.Next up:Turn off the heat, ladle into a bowl, and finish with a swirl of lite coconut milk drizzled on top. Eat warm.
Turn off the heat, ladle into a bowl, and finish with a swirl of lite coconut milk drizzled on top. Eat warm.
Why? Adding the coconut milk off the heat keeps its aroma intact at the surface instead of cooking it away — so a small swirl smells rich enough without simmering the whole pot in it.Tip: Drizzling the coconut milk on top instead of boiling it in the whole time gives the same rich aroma with far less of it.