Chè Bắp (Sweet Corn Pudding) is a tasty Vietnamese dessert soup with sweetness, juiciness and crispness from corn. It is usually served with creamy coconut sauce and can be eaten either warm or cold. This dessert is naturally vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Besides using corn in savory dishes (such as this grilled corn, sautéed corn and chicken corn soup), Viet cooks also use it in dessert. This corn pudding is a type of chè, Vietnamese sweet dessert soup, that can be found in many regions in Vietnam. There are several variations of this pudding depending on the region, and I’m sharing recipes for two variations of Vietnamese sweet corn pudding today.
If you ask someone from the North of Vietnam, they will tell you this dessert is called “chè ngô“. Someone from the South will call it “chè bắp“. The version in the North (variation #1) often uses whole corn kernels while the traditional Southern version (variation #2) uses shaved corn kernels and adds sticky rice (gạo nếp).
Watch How to Make Chè Bắp
Let’s watch the video below to have an overall idea of how to cook this dish. It’s actually easier than it sounds.
Ingredients
Both versions require corn on the cobs. With the Northern variation, you can use a knife to cut off the kernels from the cobs. For the Southern version, it’s best to use a box grater to shave the kernels off the cobs.
We grew up in the North of Vietnam and when we were little kids, we rarely saw yellow sweet corn. Everyone mostly cooked with the white corn variety (bắp nếp) which was less sweet and had a bit of a chew. Nowadays, people prefer yellow sweet corn in soups because it is sweeter and the color is more beautiful.
The Northern version will require a thickener, such as kudzu root starch (traditional choice), tapioca starch, or cornstarch. On the contrary, the Southern Vietnamese corn pudding is naturally thickened with the starch released from sticky rice.
We like to sweeten this dessert with rock sugar which has a mild sweetness. You can also use regular granulated sugar. Both versions are served with coconut sauce. My favorite coconut milk brand is Aroy-D.
How to Serve
The corn pudding can be eaten warm, at room temperature or cold. Simply place the pudding in serving bowls and then drizzle coconut sauce on top.
With the whole corn kernels version, I prefer it warm or at room temperature. The texture when eaten cold is a little funny. The version with shaved corn kernels and sticky rice is a better one to eat cold. It still retains its texture really well after being refrigerated.
I personally like the second version more since it offers a more interesting combination of texture: crispness from sweet corn and soft-slightly chewy from sticky rice. If you try both versions, I’d love to hear which one you like more.
⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
