Bubur Kacang Hijau

Put the mung beans in a sieve and rinse under cold water, picking out any small stones or loose husks. There's no need to soak them first; a long gentle simmer is enough to make them tender.

• 200 g mung beans

✅ C'est prêt quand : the beans look clean and the rinsing water runs mostly clear

Put the rinsed beans, 1.4 litres of the water and 2 of the pandan leaves (tied in a knot) in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered, skimming off any foam that rises to the top — this keeps the porridge tasting clean instead of bitter. Simmer for 40–45 minutes, topping up with a little hot water if the pot looks dry, until the beans are fully soft and some skins have burst open.

• 200 g mung beans (from step 1)
• 1.4 litres water
• 2 pandan leaves

✅ C'est prêt quand : the beans crush easily between two fingers and look like a loose porridge

While the beans cook, put the chopped palm sugar and the remaining 100 ml water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar melts completely, then pour it through a fine sieve into the bean pot. Straining catches bits of bark or grit that often hide inside blocks of palm sugar, so the finished porridge stays smooth.

• 120 g palm sugar
• 100 ml water

✅ C'est prêt quand : the sugar has melted into a clear, dark syrup with no lumps

Stir the crushed ginger, granulated sugar and salt into the pot along with the strained palm sugar syrup. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, so the beans soak up the sweetness evenly.

• 2 cm piece ginger
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the sugar is fully mixed in and the porridge looks glossy and slightly thicker

Pour in 300 ml of the coconut milk. Keep the heat low and stir gently and often — if it boils hard, the coconut milk can split into oily flecks instead of staying smooth. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until creamy, then fish out and discard the ginger and pandan leaf.

• 300 ml coconut milk
• ginger (to remove)
• pandan leaf (to remove)

✅ C'est prêt quand : the porridge is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon

In a small saucepan, warm the remaining 200 ml coconut milk with the last pandan leaf and a pinch of salt over low heat, just until steaming — don't let it boil (90°C/194°F is plenty). Ladle the hot porridge into bowls and spoon the salted coconut sauce over the top; the contrast between the sweet porridge and the lightly salted coconut is what makes this dish so good.

• 200 ml coconut milk
• 1 pandan leaf
• 1 pinch salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the coconut sauce is hot and steaming but not boiling