Mung Bean and Sea weed Drink

5.0 from 1 vote

Mung bean and seaweed drink is a gentle Cambodian sweet soup that sits somewhere between a dessert and a cooling beverage. It is soft, lightly sweet, and surprisingly refreshing over ice.

The ingredients are simple: dried mung beans, a piece of pandan leaf, and dried seaweed simmered in water until everything turns tender. Sugar and a pinch of salt round out the flavor. Served warm, it feels like a comforting dessert. Poured over ice, it becomes a light drink for a hot afternoon.

What You Need

This recipe uses dried mung beans that have been soaked, dried seaweed, fresh or frozen pandan leaf, and two kinds of sugar. The full amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

Pandan leaf gives the soup a soft, grassy aroma. If you are new to pandan, look for frozen leaves in Asian grocery stores. The leaves are long, green, and fragrant even before they hit the pot.

Equipment

Large pot: To simmer the mung beans, pandan leaf, and water until the beans are tender.
Chef‘s knife: To trim the pandan leaf if needed before adding it to the pot.
Cutting board: To hold the pandan leaf steady while you handle it.
Measuring cups: To measure the mung beans, seaweed, water, and sugars.
Measuring spoons: To measure the salt.
Colander or strainer: To rinse the soaked mung beans and drained seaweed.
Mixing bowl: To soak the dried seaweed in cold water.
Wooden spoon: To stir the sugars into the pot until they dissolve.
Ladle: To serve the finished drink into glasses or bowls.
Serving glasses or bowls: To serve the drink warm or over ice.

How to Make Mung Bean and Seaweed Drink

Step 1: Prepare the Mung Beans and Seaweed

Put ½ cup of dried mung beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 4 hours. After soaking, pour the beans into a colander, rinse them under cold water, and let them drain.

While the beans soak, place ½ cup of dried seaweed in a separate bowl of cold water. Soak the seaweed until it softens, then rinse and drain it.

Step 2: Simmer the Mung Beans with Pandan

Put the drained mung beans into a large pot. Add 1 fresh or frozen pandan leaf and 9 cups of water.

Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook until the mung beans are tender. Stir occasionally so the beans cook evenly.

Step 3: Add the Seaweed, Sugar, and Salt

Add the drained seaweed to the pot. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of palm sugar or light brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

Stir until the sugars dissolve completely. Continue cooking until the liquid comes back to a gentle bubble.

Step 4: Cool and Serve

Turn off the heat. Let the drink cool for a few minutes before serving.

Serve it warm in small bowls or glasses. For a cold drink, add ice cubes to each glass before pouring.

Cooking Tips

Soaking the mung beans for the full 4 hours helps them cook more evenly. If you are short on time, you can soak them longer in cold water, but do not skip the soaking step.

Taste the drink after the sugar dissolves. If you prefer it less sweet, start with a little less sugar and add more only after tasting. The recipe uses two types of sugar, and palm sugar brings a deeper, slightly caramel-like sweetness.

How to Serve

Serve this drink warm as a dessert soup, especially on a cooler evening. For a refreshing drink, fill a glass with ice cubes and ladle the sweet soup over the ice. The cold version is popular in Cambodia on hot days.

You can also serve it in small bowls with a spoon, the way many Cambodian sweet soups are enjoyed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does mung bean and seaweed drink taste like?

The mung beans become soft and starchy, and the seaweed adds a mild, slippery texture. The sweetness comes from both regular sugar and palm sugar, with a small amount of salt to balance it. Pandan leaf adds a light, grassy fragrance. The overall flavor is gentle rather than heavy.

Can I serve this drink cold?

Yes. The recipe is designed to be served either warm or cold. Let the drink cool completely, then refrigerate it. When you are ready to serve, pour it over ice cubes in a glass.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

The main ingredients are mung beans, seaweed, pandan leaf, sugar, palm sugar, salt, and water. These ingredients do not contain gluten. However, if you are cooking for someone with celiac disease or a severe gluten allergy, check the labels on your seaweed and sugars to confirm they have not been processed in a facility with gluten.

Final Thoughts

This mung bean and seaweed drink is a quiet, comforting recipe. It does not need many ingredients, and the pot does most of the work. The next time you want a Cambodian sweet soup that can be served warm or cold, let this one simmer on the stove.

Mung Bean and Sea weed Drink

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: DrinksCuisine: CambodianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

hours

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

328

kcal

Total time

hours

minutes

This simple Khmer sweet soup combines soaked mung beans, dried seaweed, and pandan leaf in a light sugar syrup. It is a flexible recipe that works as both a warm dessert and an iced drink.

Ingredients

½ cup dried mung beans, soaked for 4 hours, rinsed and drained
1 fresh or frozen pandan leaf
9 cups water
½ cup dried seaweed, soaked in cold water, rinsed and drained
1 cup sugar
1 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Soak the mung beans in water for 4 hours. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Soak the dried seaweed in cold water until softened. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Put the drained mung beans into a large pot. Add the pandan leaf and 9 cups of water.
Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook until the mung beans are tender.
Add the drained seaweed, sugar, palm sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugars dissolve.
Continue cooking until the liquid returns to a gentle bubble.
Turn off the heat. Let the drink cool slightly before serving.
Serve warm, or pour over ice cubes for a cold drink.