The Ultimate Guide to Che Thai (Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
40 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
303 kcal
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Cuisine
Vietnamese
The Ultimate Guide to Che Thai (Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail)
Description
This Vietnamese fruit cocktail includes several unique ingredients prepared in stages. Red rubies are cubes of water chestnut dyed red and coated in tapioca starch, boiled until they float, then cooled for a crunchy texture. Pandan agar jelly is made from agar agar powder, pandan extract, sugar, and water, boiled and set into a firm jelly cut into cubes. The pandan noodle jelly or cendol is cooked mung bean and tapioca starch combined with pandan extract, extruded through a ricer into ice water to form worm-like jellies.
The canned fruits—jackfruit, lychee, longan, toddy palm seed, and coconut jelly—add sweet and floral tropical flavors. The milky base is made from half-and-half or whole milk, coconut cream, and sugar, creating a rich, sweet broth to combine all the textures and tastes. Served chilled, Che Thai offers varied mouthfeels and flavors from chewy, soft, and crisp components.
Preparation requires careful timing, such as cooling the chestnuts in ice water, setting the agarjy, and working quickly with the cendol mixture. The recipe suggests chilling the coconut base before combining with fruits just before serving to keep the textures fresh. Alternatives like store-bought jelly can be used to save time.
Ingredients
"Red Rubies"
- 1 (8 oz) water chestnuts whole, canned
- 3 drops red food coloring
- ⅔ cup tapioca starch
- water
Pandan Agar Jelly
- 1¾ cups water
- 2 teaspoons agar agar powder (Telephone Brand)
- ½ teaspoon pandan extract
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
Pandan Noodle Jelly (Cendol)
- ⅔ cup mung bean starch
- 3 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon pandan extract
Canned Fruits
- 1 (20 oz) jackfruit canned, drained, thinly sliced
- 1 (20 oz) lychee canned with juice
- 1 (20 oz) longan canned, drained
- 1 (18 oz) toddy palm seed canned, drained
- 1 (12 oz) coconut jelly coco de nata, jarred, drained
- coconut fresh or canned, cut into strips
Milk
- 1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
- 1 cup coconut cream use either one, or coffee creamer (hazelnut or French vanilla
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
Red Rubies
- Prep the Chestnuts: Drain and pat dry. Cut into ¼-inch cubes.
- Color: Toss with 2–3 drops of red food dye until evenly coated.
- Coat: Sprinkle with tapioca starch and toss to coat. Shake off excess using a colander.
- Cook: Boil 2–3 inches of water. Add chestnuts and cook 2–3 minutes, or until they float.
- Cool: Transfer to an ice bath and chill for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Pandan Agar Agar Jelly
- Mix: In a saucepan, whisk water, agar agar powder, pandan extract, and sugar.
- Cook: Bring to a boil, then simmer 6–7 minutes until fully dissolved.
- Set: Pour into a small pan, let cool, and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm. Cut into cubes.
Pandan Noodle Jelly (Cendol)
- Set Up: Fit a potato ricer with a coarse disc and prepare an ice bath.
- Mix: In a saucepan, whisk together water, sugar, mung bean starch, tapioca starch, and pandan extract.
- Cook: Whisk over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Shape: Working in batches, press the batter through the ricer into the ice bath.
- Cool: Let chill for at least 10 minutes, then drain and refrigerate.
Assemble Che Thai
- Make the Coconut Base: Simmer coconut cream with sugar until dissolved. Let cool.
- Combine: In a large bowl, mix coconut base with half-and-half (or creamer).
- Add Toppings: Stir in red rubies, both jellies, and canned or fresh fruits (jackfruit, lychee, longan, toddy palm, coconut jelly, shredded coconut).
- Serve: Chill for 1 hour or serve right away over crushed ice.
Notes
- Dry the water chestnuts well and remove extra starch to prevent clumping before boiling in batches.
- Make the pandan agar jelly ahead as it requires at least 2 hours to set firmly.
- Prepare the pandan noodle jelly quickly and have tools and ice bath ready, as the batter thickens fast.
- Chill the coconut milk base before assembly and add fruits only before serving to preserve freshness and texture.
- Store-bought grass jelly can be substituted if short on time for agar jelly.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 303 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 303kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 44g | 15% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 27mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 152mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 107IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 42mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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