Sweet Coconut Tapioca Soup with Bananas (Che Chuoi)

Try this interesting dessert soup from Vietnam next time you want to try out new dessert flavors! Vietnamese cooking is really interesting because it combines French and Chinese influences, although this particular recipe definitely leans more toward Asian cuisine.

Bring 2 cups of water and 1 (14-ounce) can of light coconut milk to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup raw sugar, 1/4 cup granulated tapioca, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Slice 2 ripe bananas into quarters, lengthwise, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces (two bananas should measure about 1 and 1/2 cups total). Add the bananas to the tapioca mixture at the end of cooking, then cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Here's where the dessert becomes incredibly versatile. Serve it warm if you like, or let it come to room temperature, or put it in the fridge and let it chill for 3 hours, and serve chilled. Note that the cooler the soup is, the thicker it will become.

Spoon one cup of the soup into each of 4 bowls, and sprinkle the top of each serving with 1/4 tsp. sesame seeds, for 4 servings of 250 calories each.

Cost:
light coconut milk $2.39
sugar $3.39
granulated tapioca $2.69
bananas $1.15