Pennywort Mung Bean Drink with Coconut Milk (Rau Má Đậu Xanh Nước Dừa)

Nước Rau Má is a traditional herbal Vietnamese drink. It starts with blending pennywort leaves and stems, then straining to extract the juice and sweetening with sugar or syrup.

Serve with ice for refreshing cold drink that’s perfect for a hot day.

In this recipe, I’m adding sweetened mung bean paste (Đậu Xanh) and coconut milk (Nước Dừa) for a more indulgent and beautiful drink.

However, you can opt for just the pennywort juice if you prefer a simpler option.

Kids may not be a fan of this herbal drink, but it’s one of those things that you end up loving as you grow older (usually), like bitter melon.

What You Will Need

To make this herbal Vietnamese drink, gather the following ingredients and kitchen equipment:

Ingredients:

• Fresh pennywort leaves and stems. More information at the end of the blog with growing tips.
• Mung beans: I’m using dried and split yellow mung beans. This adds a creamy texture and nutty taste to the drink.
• Sugar and a bit of salt: A bit of sea salt for flavor. Sugar to sweeten and balance the herbal taste of pennywort. I’m using granulated white sugar here, but you can also use palm sugar, honey or maple syrup.
• Coconut milk: Adds richness to the drink. I’m using canned coconut milk, which I heat on the stovetop to dissolve the sugar. You can substitute with your choice of milk.
• Drinking/filtered water (for blending)
• Crushed ice (for serving)

Kitchen Equipment:

• Blender (for blending pennywort and mung beans): I’m using my awesome and reliable Vitamix blender, which is a quite powerful. If using a Vitamix, make sure it’s on the lowest setting so that the leaves are still coarse enough to strain.
• Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth (for straining the pennywort juice)

How to Make It

Step 1: Make Pennywort Juice

Thoroughly wash pennywort by soaking the leaves and stems in a large bowl or basin filled with water for a few minutes to remove any dirt.

Lift pennywort out of the water and into a colander. Repeat this washing process as necessary until there is no more dirt.

Blend the pennywort with drinking/filtered water then pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl.

Press or squeeze to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp.

Step 2: Make Mung Bean Paste

Rinse the dried mung beans until water runs clear.

Add rinsed mung beans and water to a small pot. Cook until soften then season with salt and sugar. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Step 3: Make Sweetened Coconut Milk

In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk and sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat and let it cool.

Step 4: Assemble

In two tall glasses, divide the mung bean paste evenly. Add pennywort juice, ice and top each glass with the sweetened coconut milk.

Give the mixture a stir and enjoy.

What is Pennywort?

The pennywort plant, also known as Hydrocotyle Ranunculoides, has flat, round leaves on a single thin stem. The leaves resemble miniature lily pads.

There are two varieties: one with glossy, more rounded leaves, and another with matte leaves that have more serrated edges. I have both in my garden with the glossy variety growing much healthier looking and quicker.

Pennywort Health Benefits

Pennywort supports blood circulation, digestion, and is rich in vitamins B and K, magnesium, and zinc. It can also help with gout, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

Growing Pennywort

If you are interested in growing pennywort, it is quite easy to grow. You can grow from seeds but it’s easiest to propagate by dividing the roots.

Place the roots in soil. They grow well in any type of soil: wet and even my dry soil when I forget to water them for days. They can also grow directly in water.

They grow in full sun, partial sun and full shade.

Much like mint, it spreads out horizontally and can quickly take over your garden once planted.

Because it can grow so easily, it’s considered invasive. I highly recommend to plant them in pots or a contained area.

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