Vietnamese Coconut Tapioca Pudding (Chè Chuối)

Place the small tapioca pearls in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes — this softens the outer layer of the pearls and dramatically reduces the cooking time, preventing the outside from becoming mushy before the centre is cooked through. After soaking, drain and rinse the pearls under cold water. They will have swollen slightly and turned from opaque white to a semi-translucent appearance. Use small tapioca pearls — the 2 to 3mm size sold in Asian supermarkets and online. Large bubble tea pearls require a much longer cooking time and a different method; they are not suitable here. Quick-cook or instant tapioca is also not suitable — it will dissolve into the coconut milk rather than holding its shape as distinct, tender pearls.

Pour one full tin of coconut milk and the 250ml of water into a medium saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons of the coconut sugar, ½ teaspoon of fine salt, and the pandan leaves tied in a knot. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the soaked, drained tapioca pearls and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil, which will break the pearls apart. Cook over medium-low heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the pearls from sticking to the base of the pan, until the pearls are almost completely translucent with just a tiny white dot remaining at the very centre. They will finish cooking in the residual heat once the banana is added. The mixture will thicken noticeably as the tapioca releases its starch into the coconut milk — this is correct. If it thickens too much, add a splash of water and stir through.

Add the sliced banana rounds to the simmering tapioca and coconut milk. Stir gently — the banana is delicate and will break apart if stirred too vigorously. Cook for 3–4 minutes only, until the banana is just heated through and beginning to soften at the edges but still holding its shape. The banana should be tender and yielding but not mushy or falling apart — overcooked banana turns grey and loses its texture entirely. Remove the pandan leaves. Taste the pudding — it should be gently sweet, fragrant with coconut and pandan, and lightly salted. The salt is essential; without it the pudding tastes flat. Adjust with a little more sugar or salt if needed. The pudding can be served immediately while warm, or left to cool to room temperature — it thickens further as it cools, which many people prefer.

Warm the second tin of coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar and ¼ teaspoon of fine salt. Stir until dissolved and simmer for 2–3 minutes until very slightly thickened. This salted coconut drizzle is spooned over the top of each serving at the table — it is a cooler, thinner, saltier contrast to the warm, sweet pudding beneath, and it is what elevates chè chuối from a simple dessert to something genuinely special. Ladle the warm tapioca pudding into four bowls or glasses. Spoon the salted coconut drizzle generously over the top of each serving. Scatter toasted coconut flakes over the surface and add a few fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately while warm, or at room temperature.