Wash, drain and pour into a pot. Add 1.5l of water to the red bean
and bring to the boil. Add the pandan leaves. Once boiling, reduce to
low heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
After 2 hours, remove the pandan leaves. Add the rock sugar
gradually, and stir to dissolve. Taste, and sweeten with more rock sugar
if necessary.
Make the tang yuan dough. Sift the glutinous rice flour into a
bowl. Gradually add water to form a stiff dough. Place dough on board
and knead well for 3-4 minutes. Roll firmly into the size of a marble
ball.
Drop the balls into the red bean syrup, and cook until they float
to the surface. Serve each bowl of hot red bean soup with 3 tang yuans.
Melt
butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms in
butter with 1 pinch salt until the mushrooms give off their juices;
reduce heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring often, until juices
evaporate and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set
aside a few attractive mushroom slices for garnish later, if desired.
Mix onion into mushrooms and cook until onion is soft and translucent,
about 5 more minutes.
Stir
flour into mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes to
remove raw flour taste. Tie thyme sprigs into a small bundle with
kitchen twine and add to mushroom mixture; add garlic cloves. Pour
chicken stock and water into mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer and
cook for 1 hour. Remove thyme bundle.
Transfer soup to a blender in small batches and puree on high speed until smooth and thick.
Return
soup to pot and stir in cream. Season with salt and black pepper and
serve in bowls, garnished with reserved mushroom slices and a few thyme
leaves.
I was happy my family members enjoyed very much the Green Beans With
Barley Sweet Soup which I prepared for them. My Pa who is usually very
selective with his food finished a bowl of it for tea time. So this
time, I tried cooking another green beans sweet soup with sweet potatoes
and coconut cream.
Green Bean, Sweet Potato Soup with coconut cream
Green Bean, Sweet Potato Soup without coconut cream
I came across this recipe in the local newspaper sometime ago which looks good. The soup taste good with or without the coconut cream. For those who are on healthy diet, just omit the coconut cream.
Ingredients for the Sweet Soup
Ingredients [serves 8-10]
300 gm dried green beans - pick and discard any grit or discoloured beans, rinse beans under running water
2-3 screwpine [pandan] leaves - wash and knotted
3 litres water
500 gm sweet potatoes [orange colour] - peel and cut into cubes or wedges
125 gm honey rock sugar to taste
Pour water in a large deep pot, add in green beans and pandan
leaves. Bring to boil over high heat, then turn to medium heat and
continue cooking for 40 - 45 minutes or until beans are cooked and
soft. Stirring occasionally.
Add in sweet potatoes to cook for another 15 minutes or until
soft. Add in rock sugar to taste and stir until it dissolves. Turn off
heat and serve with or without coconut cream.
Cooked sweet soup in the pot
Coconut Cream Preparation
200 ml thick coconut milk
50 ml water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water
While green beans are cooking,
pour coconut milk in a small saucepan, add in 50 ml water and salt.
Cook over low heat, keep stirring until small bubbles form on the sides
of the pan. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until slightly thickens.
Pour into a container to cool.
Green bean soup (also known as mung bean soup) is a classic Chinese tong sui (sweet soups). A cooling (yin) dessert, this sweet soup is light yet nutritious and can be taken warm or chilled.
Grean been are a good source of fiber and protein and also
contain vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C,E, K)and minerals like iron,
magnesium and potassium. It is also a traditional home remedy to clear
toxins, reduce body heat and promote healthier skin.
In perpetually hot countries like Singapore, this cooling drink
provide a wonderful relief from the scorching heat and heat-related
symptoms like dry skin, headaches and skin rashes. Drinking this soup is
a must for me especially during haze periods which seem to occur almost
every year in Singapore.
As I am writing this, air quality in Singapore has crossed over to
the unhealthy range of above 200 P.S.I. so it is good to drink more
detoxifying soups like this to flush out toxins from our body. Another
detoxifying drink that is very easy to cook is barley water which I often make at home.
Although green bean soup has many health benefits, it is not suitable for some people. Those who have diarrhea and cold hands and feet should avoid eating green beans.
Ingredients for green bean soup
The basic ingredients that you’ll need are green beans, water and rock sugar. Sago pearlsand pandan leaves are optional but I find that they really enhance the enjoyment of the soup.
If you want, you can also add the following ingredients into the green bean soup: Gingko nuts (for convenience, use vacuum packed ones) Lotus seeds Candied winter melon
Sago pearls are flavorless on its own but once you add it into
desserts like this, it gives the soup a smoother and more interesting
texture. It also enhances the appearance of the soup, don’t you think?
Do you like green bean soup with a thicker consistency or a more
watery texture? For a thicker soup, mash up some of the softened beans
with the back of a spoon against a sieve. Ladle up some soup and pour it
through the sieve to let the mashed beans return to the soup. (refer to
recipe for full instructions) Simmering for a longer time will also
thicken the soup. And if you like a more watery consistency, turn off
the heat once the beans have softened and opened up.
Green bean soup with a thick or thin consistency. Which one do you like?
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A delicious dessert soup to cleanse, detox and cool the body.
Author: Yvonne Oh
Recipe type: Drinks and Desserts
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1.8 liters water
150gm green beans - soaked overnight or at least 2 hours, rinsed and drained
Rock sugar/honeycomb sugar - to taste
3 tbsp sago seeds
5 Pandan leaves (screwpine leaves) washed and tied into a knot
Optional Ingredients:
Vacuumed packed gingko nuts or lotus seeds
Candied wintermelon
Instructions
In a soup pot ,
add green beans and knotted pandan leaves and bring to a boil. Remove
the pandan leaves once it starts boiling, You can also leave it in the
pot and remove it when the soup is done but it will be messier that way.
If your pot is deep enough you may cover it. Otherwise, partially cover
the pot when you simmer as the soup boils over easily.
Add
in the optional ingredients now if you want to. Simmer for about 45
minutes or until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Add water if
necessary.
Optional step:
If you wish to thicken the soup, place some of the cooked and softened
green beans in a strainer over a bowl. Mash them with the back of a
spoon so the soft part of the beans go through. Then ladle up some soup
and pour it through the strainer to let any remaining mashed beans
return to the soup. Pour the strained beans in the bowl back into the
soup pot and discard the leftover husks in the strainer.
Add in sugar and sago pearls. Stir gently and let simmer for a few more minutes. Turn off heat. Serve warm or chilled.
Cooking Notes
Tip:
It is advisable to consume this dessert on the same day. I find that it
will turn mushy if you keep it refrigerated till the next day.
It is nearing December and the weather has been chilly in Singapore lately so today I made sweet red bean soup to keep me as warm as toast even though it’s windy and cold outside :). Red bean soup (紅豆汤 hóng dòu tāng) is an all time classic Chinese dessert soup.
This post was first published on Dec 4, 2015 and now updated on 18/11/16 with improved recipe and photos.
The basic ingredients for this red bean soup recipe are red beans (also known as adzuki beans), dried tangerine peel and rock sugar. For this recipe, I added ginkgo nuts and sago for extra texture to the soup. If you have pandan leaves, tie a few into a knot and throw them into the soup pot as well to add some fragrance.
Other variations of this soup include the addition of ingredients like lotus seeds, red dates, dried longan, tang yuan (glutinous rice balls) and coconut milk. If you’re using coconut milk, consume the red bean soup as soon as you can as it will not stay fresh nor keep well for long. Substitute with low-fat coconut milk for a healthier option.
Compared to green beans, red beans take a longer time to cook and soften. Soak the beans overnight in water to shorten the cooking process and prevent flatulence.
From my observation, the quality of the beans you use will also affect the length of the cooking time. An old batch of red beans that I bought took a much longer time to cook compared to a newer purchase. Try not to keep raw beans for long periods of time as it will affect their quality.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, red beans is believed to reduce fluid retention, alleviate oedema, promote diuresis, eliminate skin heat and toxins, and help with weight loss. Consumption of ginkgo nuts treat coughs and fluid discharges, alleviate asthma and helps to preserve the functions of the brain.
Dried tangerine peel (called chen pi) is a warming ingredient high in antioxidants and helps with indigestion, reduces nausea and treats diarrhea. Tea made from dried tangerine peels has many health benefits and one that I particularly like is that it helps to alleviate morning sickness in pregnant women.
Dried tangerine peels add a citrusy flavor and scent to the soup. Try not to omit this ingredient as it really does give the soup a lovely aroma but do not add too many pieces of it. The first time I made this, I added about 5-6 pieces and it made the soup terribly bitter. My daughter took a sip and cringed. So, lesson learnt. One piece is sufficient. A little goes a long way. If you think you need more, add another piece only after you’ve tasted the soup.
Some like this soup with a thick consistency while others prefer it thinner. I am personally partial to the thicker version. To thicken the red bean soup, you can either use a blender to blend the softened beans or manually mash them with the back of a spoon.
Delicious Red Bean Ideas:
1. Leftovers of this sweet soup can be freezed up and made into delicious popsicles.
2. Serve the red bean soup with a scoop of ice-cream for a refreshing and yummy treat!
A 'warming' dessert, red bean soup is a delicious dessert for any time of the day!
Author: Yvonne Oh
Recipe type: Desserts and Drinks
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 cup red beans - soaked overnight
1 piece dried tangerine peel - soaked for 10 - 15 minutes till soft
100 g rock sugar - or to taste (may be substituted with brown sugar)
6 cups water
⅓ cup small sago
Optional Ingredients
60 g vacuumed packed ginkgo nuts
4 pandan leaves - washed, trim off dry ends and tie into a knot
Instructions
To cook sago: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Pour in sago seeds and let it simmer for around 5 minutes. Turn off heat and keep the pot covered for about 10 - 15 minutes. Let the remaining heat finish cooking the sago until it is all translucent and gelatinous. Once fully cooked, rinse the sago to remove any residual starch. Keep sago pearls submerged in some water (to prevent sticking) until ready to use in your dessert.
Discard the soaking water for the beans and rinse. Scrape off the white pith from the inside of the softened dried tangerine peel with the back of a spoon and rinse. This is to reduce its bitterness.
Put in the red beans, pandan leaves, dried tangerine peel and water into a medium sized soup pot. Bring to a boil and let it remain boiling for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until the red beans are broken and soft. Remove the pandan leaves and dried tangerine peel.
When the beans have softened and opened up, mash half (or all if you prefer) the red beans with the back of a spoon in a strainer placed over a bowl. Ladle up some soup and pour it through the strainer to let any remaining mashed beans return to the soup. Transfer the strained mixture back into the soup pot and discard the empty husks in the strainer. Alternatively, use a hand-held blender to blend till the beans are to your desired consistency. You may also transfer to a blender to blend and pour back the blended mixture back into the pot. Add an additional 1 cup of water or as needed if you find that the soup is too thick.
Add the ginkgo nuts and cook for about 10 minutes. Add rock sugar and stir over medium heat till it dissolves. Add sago pearls if using. Turn off heat and serve.
Cooking Notes
Preparation time does not include soaking time of the beans.
