What's better than guzzling an ice-cold drink or diving into a refreshing dessert during a sizzling hot summer? Hong Kong has an amazing combination of both with the red bean ice drink. It's a tasty, drinkable dessert.
This layered drink contains soft, sweet red beans on the bottom and is filled with a mixture of sugar syrup, coconut milk and evaporated milk. A scoop of vanilla ice cream tops it off.
This uniquely Hong Kong drink represents the city's Cantonese and British history because of how it mixes red beans with dairy.
It was invented in Hong Kong in the 1970s. Back then, not many people had a refrigerator. So they would go to a nearby "cha chaan teng" if they wanted to cool down with a sweet, icy beverage, and the red bean ice drink was their favourite treat. The red bean has a sweet flavour that thickens dishes, making it a great addition to any snack.
How healthy is it?
While this thirst-quencher can help you beat the heat, nutritionist Kathy Ng says we shouldn't drink more than one each week.
She warns: "Just one serving has more than half of your daily amount of sugar."
One serving, or 300 grams, of red bean ice drink contains 225 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 28 grams of sugar – and that does not include the ice cream topping.
Thankfully, Kathy has a recipe for a healthier red bean ice drink that will quench your thirst all summer long. Though the recipe may seem to take a long time, most of it is letting things cook or cool. So you can read a book or watch a show while waiting for your summer treat.
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
100 grams of red beans
50 grams of sugar
a pinch of salt
(or 1 can of sweetened adzuki red beans)
1 cup of small ice cubes
1/2 cup of skimmed milk
1/4 cup of low-fat coconut milk
1 scoop of plain frozen yogurt
Directions
Wash the red beans three times. Move the beans to a bowl, and add enough water to cover them. Soak them for at least two hours or overnight. (If you are using the can of sweetened adzuki red beans, skip to step 5.)
Drain the soaked red beans, and put them in a saucepan with 400ml of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for 50 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add the sugar and salt. Simmer the beans for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The mixture should have thickened by now, and about half of the beans should have started to fall apart. Turn off the heat, and allow the cooked beans to cool to room temperature.
In a glass, add the red beans, ice cubes, skimmed milk and low-fat coconut milk. Top the mixture with a scoop of frozen yogurt. Stir well and enjoy!
Fun facts
Red beans contain a lot of good things, including fibre, protein, iron, potassium and vitamins. They can be used in either sweet or savoury dishes.
Quick questions
- Where and when was this drink first served?
- Which other desserts also include beans?
- What ingredients would you like to add o the red bean ice drink?
