Taking advantage of the corn sale at Shoprite, I decided to make Che Bap. Vietnamese corn pudding can be made with sweet rice or tapioca pearls. The sweet rice gives the pudding a sticky texture while the tapioca pearls deliver a chewier bite. This dish is usually served with a coconut sauce that involves heating up the coconut milk with cornstarch, salt, and sugar. However, I found that coconut milk straight from the can tastes just as good; the only difference is that it will be a little thinner.
I started out by slicing the corn kernels off their cobs using a serrated knife. I did not want the cobs to go to waste, so I decided to simmer them in boiling water to make a corn stock. Whether or not this extra step made a difference in the final product is up for debate. Nonetheless, it made me feel good that I put them to good use. I also found that even after slicing the kernels off, there was still some corn meat on the cob. So, I chowed down!
I decided to make this dish with rice because I am not a huge fan of tapioca pearls. When cooking the rice, do not forget to stir it every 3 minutes or so to make sure none of the rice gets stuck to the bottom of the pan. The rice is prone to burning if you do not stir because it is very starchy and sticky.
I like my Che Bap glutinous and sticky, and diluted with the creaminess of the coconut milk. But if you would like yours to be soupy, just cook the rice with more water.
I love to eat Che Bap for dessert or breakfast. The stickiness of the rice, paired with the crunchiness of the corn, and the creaminess of the coconut milk equate to a yummy treat that can be enjoyed anytime of the day!
Che Bap
7 cups of water
4 cups of corn
1 cup of sweet rice
1/2 cup of sugar
2 cans of coconut milk
1. Bring water to a boil. In the meantime, slice the corn kernels from their cobs using a knife.
2. Place the cobs in the boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes to create a corn infused stock.
3. Remove cobs and use a fine mesh strainer to remove any corn particles from the water.
4. Rinse rice to remove excess starch and add to boiling water.
5. Cook rice for 10 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add corn kernels and sugar and cook for another 10 minutes.
7. Serve with coconut milk on top.