noodlepie

Sweet trolley

I found this lone figure south of the zoo on Nguyen Binh Khiem street in District 1. The closed pot, dual basket, over the shoulder number is a dead giveaway for a che seller. She's been selling che from this zoo wall location for "a long time. More than 10 years," she tells me. This street is choking with che sellers from 11am onwards and there's a very good reason for that. There are three schools in the locale and when they open their doors, 3,000 kids (and a few teachers) hit the streets looking for a sugar hit. My Vietnamese is a bit ropey, but when I ask her about this she tells me "It's freakin' nuts when they come out. Non-stop. Blinkin' mental, maan." Or something.

At school break time in the UK it's the sweet shops that get invaded by kids eager for a Mars bar, bag of cola cubes, Spacedust or a quarter of rhubarb & custards. At least it was in my day. However, in Saigon, the sweets don't need no health warning as they're pretty good for you. They're made out of beans, coconut, tamarind. Not a preservative, additive or e-number in sight. At this stall there are two mainstays, che dau xanh (green bean che) which takes one hour to make, see pictured above.

and che dau den (black bean che) which "is a bitch to do. It takes three hours," she informs me.

Each costs 2,000VD a glass. Having had the black bean number before, I plump for the che dau xanh which packs more beany punch than a tin of Heinz. Very pleasant kerbside dessert. Ice is optional as is the complimentary glass of iced lotus tea apres che consumption. She sells around 200 che a day and stops work at 5pm.

Hidden away under the basket on her left are the ingredients for me da (Tamarind drink).

She also has a jug of frogspawn to her right.

Che are worth checking out. I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan, but they're way better than a Cornetto.

Street sweets

At the traffic lights on Nguyen Dinh Chieu in District 1, I find this mobile stallholder. Vietnamese motorbike drivers have issues with red lights i.e. they ignore them. However, enough of them do bother stopping at these ligths to keep this young woman's business ticking over. I originally blogged this for a Moveable Feast feature at The Food Section. She sells Che - the sweet bean and coconut stuffed desserts so loved in the south of Vietnam. You'll find far more sweet-stuff down south than anywhere else in Vietnam and it's probably fair to say Che are top of the sticky snack charts for most Saigonese.

Her stall is mobile, but she's been dishing out her 1,000VD desserts for the past four years from this same spot. She has premixed Che rammed in the metal pans and regularly bags up takeaway portions which are displayed stallfront and warmed by the sun. Che, not only look like tart-tastically top deck tucker - they don't half taste good either. This stall has five varieties on offer. I buy three to taste test all of them. Although, I would advise you stick to just the one. They can be quite heavy after lunch numbers, although they are healthier than a Hershey's. Exactly what goes into each Che is something of a blogger's dilemma, as well as a non-cook's snakepit, but I'll do my best.

This is Che Thung. In the mix we have, sweetened coconut milk, yellow corn, a couple of haricot beans, thick translucent rice noodle, a scattering of Tapioca and some black rice jelly. It's sweet, it's soft, it's a super, sugary snack.

Che Dau Trang is thick with coconut milk and there's bags more, slightly bitter, beans along for the ride in here. Thicker and more viscous than the Che Thung, it's also a smidgen salty. It's tasty, but the Che Thung gets my vote thus far. The Dau Xanh Hot, pictured below, is by far the most liquid of the lot. It's mung bean packed with an earthier flavour and a subtler sweetness. I could swear I'm tasting seaweed in there and young coconut juice, but this dissection process is tough and I'm starting to hallucinate, so don't quote me on that.

Dau Xanh Hot is the most intriguing of the three, but a return visit would find me collaring the first on the list again, Che Thung. Whichever Che you chooose, they all reside in bargainsville, so no need to bring a fat wallet.

Sweet beans

Up an alley just next the Khoai My stall at 25 Nguyen Binh Khiem I sniffed out a Che seller. Che are the ubiquitous sweet desserts sold all over southern Vietnam, but rarely found in the north. Normally consisting of various combinations of tapioca, beans, sweetened coconut milk, fresh fruit and sugar. They're a dentist's nightmare, but a pleasant and no doubt healthier alternative to a Cornetto.

I ordered a Che dau van (Haricot bean che). Actually that's a complete lie. I tried to order a Che chuoi (Banana and tapioca che), and clearly failed. And of that I am glad. The Che chuoi, and pretty much any Che I have tried, tend to be a tad heavy. So I was pleased when this 1,000VD bag of beans didn't drop anchor in my stomach and refuse to budge for the rest of the day. One is light enough to keep you on the move, but go for two and you'll be needing a nap.

I strongly recommend Che and it's worth tracking down a street seller who'll flog you the stuff. Or sample the excellent selection served at one or two of the stalls on Ben Thanh Market.