Chè Ba Màu (Vietnamese Three-Colour Dessert)

• 120 g Mung beans, split, skinned
• 140 g Caster sugar
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt
• 240 g Red kidney beans, cooked
• 4 g Dried agar-agar
• 1 tsp Pandan extract
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 400 g Ice cubes

1. Rinse the mung beans in a sieve, then tip into a saucepan and cover with plenty of boiling water. Simmer for 18 to 22 minutes until tender but not falling apart, topping up with hot water if needed. Drain well, return to the pan, then stir in 40 g of the caster sugar and a pinch of the fine sea salt; set aside to cool.
2. Rinse the red kidney beans under cold water, then drain thoroughly. In a bowl, mix the beans with 40 g of the caster sugar and the vanilla extract. Chill while you make the jelly so the layers stay distinct.
3. In a saucepan, whisk the dried agar-agar with 400 ml water and the remaining 60 g caster sugar until no lumps remain. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes, whisking, until fully dissolved. Stir in the pandan extract, then pour into a shallow dish and leave to cool, then chill until set.
4. Once set, cut the pandan jelly into small cubes. Keep it chilled until serving so it stays firm and the colour stays bright.
5. For the coconut topping, whisk the coconut milk with a pinch of fine sea salt until smooth. Chill until cold; if it separates, whisk again just before serving.
6. To assemble, spoon a layer of sweet mung beans into each glass, then add a layer of sweet red kidney beans, then a layer of pandan jelly. Crush the ice cubes (or pulse briefly) and mound it on top. Finish with a generous pour of chilled coconut milk and serve straight away with long spoons.

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