Chè Sâm Bổ Lượng is a refreshing Vietnamese iced dessert/drink infused with a variety of dried Chinese and Vietnamese herbal ingredients, including red jujubes/dates (Tao Do), thinly sliced seaweed/kelp (Rong Bien), longans (Nhan Nhuc), lotus seeds (Hat Sen), and pearl barley (Bo Bo).
Variations may include snow fungus, cassava roots, ginger roots, lotus roots, and goji berries.
The mixture is lightly sweetened with sugar to balance the herbal flavors.
Some prefer to combine all ingredients in a large pot to save fridge space—like me. Simply scoop the mix into a tall glass and top with ice.
Restaurants often store ingredients separately and layer them in glasses for an attractive presentation and customization.
For a refreshing way to beat the heat and enjoy the health benefits of Chinese herbal medicine without the strong herbal aroma, look no further than Chè Sâm Bổ Lượng.
Vietnamese Iced Dessert Drink with Seaweed, Lotus Seeds, Jujubes, Longans and Pearl Barley (Che Sam Bo Luong)
- Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
Description
A refreshing Vietnamese iced dessert drink made with red jujubes, seaweed, longans, lotus seeds, and pearl barley. Scoop the ingredients into a glass and top with ice for a perfect summer treat.
Ingredients
- 5 oz dried lotus seeds (Hat Sen)
- 5 oz dried pearl barley (Bo Bo)
- 2 cups thinly sliced dried seaweed/kelp (Rong Bien)
- 5 oz dried longans (Nhan Nhuc)
- 2 cups dried red jujubes/dates (Tao Do)
- 14 cups water (divided)
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, palm sugar or rock sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the dried ingredients: Hydrate the lotus seeds and pearl barley in separate bowls for about 4 hours. Hydrate the seaweed/kelp, dried longan, and jujubes/dates in separate bowls for about one hour. For the dried longan, we will save the liquid so make sure to use at least 4 cups of water. Once the dried ingredients are hydrated, strain, rinse, and drain dry.
- Boil seaweed and pearl barley: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blanch the seaweed/kelp for 3-5 minutes. Remove the seaweed/kelp with a strainer. Add the pearl barley to the pot and cook until softened. Remove and set aside. Discard all the used boiled liquid from the pot.
- Boil water and add lotus seeds: Add 10 cups of fresh water to the pot along with the 4 cups of presoaking liquid from the dried longans. Bring the pot to a boil, then cook the lotus seeds on a low simmer until softened, about 20 minutes.
- Combine: Add the jujubes/dates to the pot with the lotus seeds and cook for 5 minutes. Then return all other cooked ingredients (pearl barley and seaweed/kelp) and the presoaked longans.
- Sweeten and storage: Add sugar, a bit at a time, to your liking. Store the drink in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, scoop the mixture into tall glasses. Top with crushed ice and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes, 4 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert, drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
