Sweet Jackfruit Seed

Sweet Jackfruit Seeds

The shape of this dessert resembles a jackfruit seed although there is no trace of the actual jackfruit flesh or seeds used in this recipe. I love this dessert for it’s appearance and taste. Although coconut milk and sugar was added to this dessert it was not too sweet.  Perhaps the mung beans themselves has some sort natural salt in them that balance it all out which is why I love this desert.In addition because it’s a dry type of a dessert (like a piece of cookie) I can enjoy it for days. It taste really good when I store it in the fridge. Two or three pieces with a cup of hot coffee, now that’s breakfast!

Mung bean is one of my favorite dessert ingredients. So far these are the desserts that I enjoy which contains mung beans – Sweet Rice Dumplings stuffed with Mung Bean in Ginger Syrup, Sesame Balls stuffed Mung Beans, and the Vietnamese Three (3) Color Drink. I will try to see what other recipes uses this ingredient so I can try to make it.

Here is my take on Sweet Jackfruit Seed គ្រាប់ខ្នុរ.

The Making of Sweet Jackfruit Seeds

Ingredients
Makes about 30 seeds

½ package (6 oz) peeled split mung bean
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ cup coconut cream powder
1/3 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups of water

Method:
Soak mung bean at least 4 hours (overnight is best). Drain and steam the mung beans until soften, about 30 minutes then set aside.

Mix together coconut milk, coconut cream and sugar. In a blender, transfer the steamed mung beans and add the sweet mixture. Blend until  it’s smooth and creamy.  If it get’s too thick you can had a little bit of water, slowly, just to get it moving again.

Next transfer the blended mung bean into a pan and turn it on to med-high heat. Stir until the paste dries up. You want to constantly stir it so that it does not burn. Time will vary depending on how much liquid was added to get the blender going. You can check by scooping about a teaspoon size and try to shape it. If it’s too soft it will be difficult to form.

Once the mung bean paste is ready allow it to cold before handling. Then scope up about a  teaspoon of the paste and start to form a ball. Use both of your palms to roll it into a ball. To get the oblong shape take your thumb and index finger and squeeze the side of the mung bean ball. It will puff up and you will want to turn it 90 degrees and do the same. Shape it up until it resembles the shape of a jackfruit seed, set aside.

Prepare the syrup by bringing water and sugar to a boil , simmer for about 20 minutes and turn off the heat. In a separate bowl whisk the 5 egg yolks together. Drop the shaped mung beans in batches. Then coat them with the egg yolk. Transfer them into the syrup and bring the syrup back to a boil and cook until the yolks are set. Remove to a serving plate.

Like mentioned this dessert is also good cold or at room temperate. When cold the mung bean hardens up into a cookie like texture but the outer layer is still soft and smooth. I like it a lot. Sometime after lunch or dinner I would pull out 2-3 seeds and have it as a dessert.