Love coconut milk or looking for vegan options that feature coconut milk? We have some tasty coconut milk pudding recipes you have to try. These two recipes are also perfect for those who are lactose intolerant. As for the recipes, they are quite unique, though they may have coconut milk in common, their preparation differs and so does their place of origin. One’s from Puerto Rico and the other from Vietnam, give both of them a try!
1.Chè Chuối
This is a Vietnamese-style coconut pudding, which is soupy, courtesy of the coconut milk used with little tapioca pearls added to it with cooked bananas a part of the pudding. Pandan leaves add a nice flavor, which is completely optional to use.
(Serves 5)
Ingredients
- 6 bananas (yelakki or kadali variety)
- 40 gm granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 180 ml coconut milk
- 100 ml water
- 60 gm small tapioca pearls
- 4 pandan leaves
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Cut each banana into uniform, even-sized slices. Mix them thoroughly with granulated sugar and set aside to rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Soak the tapioca pearls in warm water, in another bowl and let them stand for 20 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Using a mortar and pestle, gently crush the roasted peanuts until coarsely ground. Be careful not to over-crush them into a fine powder.
- Skip this step if you aren’t using pandan leaves. In a large pot, pour water and add the pandan leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook for about five minutes.
- Once the water is sufficiently warm, carefully pour in the coconut milk. Stir the mixture gently to combine, then add a small amount of salt to taste.
- Continue cooking the coconut milk mixture for another 5 minutes, then carefully remove and discard the pandan leaves.
- Check the tapioca pearls – they should have swollen considerably. Drain them through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Add the tapioca pearls to the coconut soup. Season with sugar and cook for 15 minutes, until the pearls become transparent and reach their full size.
- Add the banana slices to the soup and cook for five minutes, then remove from heat.
- Ladle the hot soup into individual serving bowls and top each portion with a generous sprinkle of crushed roasted peanuts. Serve immediately while warm.
2. Tembleque
This fancy-sounding pudding hails from Puerto Rico and is made with coconut milk, rich in cinnamon with a subtle flavor of lime peel. Tembleque is prepared in a mold that gives them a delightful jiggle.
(Serves 8)
Ingredients
- 150 gm granulated sugar
- 60 gm cornstarch
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 800 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3-inch lime peel (optional)
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Garnish:
- 60 gm sweetened coconut flakes, toasted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot (preferably one with sloping sides), thoroughly whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, and salt. Do this with the pot off heat.
- Working gradually, whisk one can of coconut milk and the vanilla extract into the dry ingredients. Continue whisking until you achieve a thick, completely lump-free paste. Once smooth, whisk in the remaining can of coconut milk.
- Add the lime peel and cinnamon stick to the mixture.
- Place the pot over medium heat. While the mixture comes up to a simmer, whisk frequently. Once small bubbles begin forming around the edges of the pan, start whisking constantly but not too vigorously - aggressive whisking will incorporate too much air, creating unwanted bubbles in the final dessert.
- Continue cooking on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking gently but continuously, until the whisk leaves behind clear ribbon patterns when lifted from the pot.
- Remove from heat. Locate and remove both the lime peel and cinnamon stick, discarding them. Allow the mixture to cool slightly while preparing the molds.
- For the molds: Pour cold water into each mold, swish it around as if washing dishes, then pour out the excess water. Do not dry the molds.
- Using a ladle or spoon, carefully fill the prepared molds. For individual servings, portion about 1 cup of the hot mixture per mold. Otherwise, pour the entire mixture into a 10-inch mold.
- Gently tap each filled mold against the counter several times to release any trapped air.
- Cover each mold by pressing a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding
- Refrigerate for three to four hours to chill thoroughly and get the pudding to set.
- To unmold, gently run your fingertip or a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the pudding. Invert onto serving plates and let the pudding slide out.
- Just before serving, sprinkle each tembleque with toasted coconut flakes and cinnamon.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap (touching the surface) in the refrigerator.