Top 10 Must-Try Sweet Soups in Hanoi

Grilled Banana Sticky Rice Sweet Soup is one of the delicious sweet soups in Hanoi that everyone wants to try. It appears more often in autumn when the rice ripens. Freshly grilled banana and sticky rice have the distinctive fragrance of golden crispy rice blending seamlessly with the rich coconut milk. This creates an exquisite sweet soup, especially delightful when enjoyed hot. You can savor this sweet soup at various stalls on Hang Than, Doi Can, or Cau Dong streets for around 20,000 VND per bowl.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe bananas.
• 200g glutinous rice.
• 50g roasted rice.
• 150ml coconut milk.
• Banana leaves, sugar, salt.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Wash glutinous rice, soak overnight. Drain the rice, mix with a pinch of salt, steam until cooked. Occasionally stir to make the sticky rice, add coconut milk, and continue stirring with chopsticks. Put on a plate and let it cool.
• Step 2: Peel bananas. Mix 1 teaspoon of sugar with bananas, let them marinate for 15 minutes.
• Step 3: Spread a piece of food wrapping film, evenly spread the sticky rice. Place bananas in the middle and wrap them tightly. Use cleaned banana leaves to wrap each rice-wrapped banana, then wrap it again.
• Step 4: Place on a baking tray, put it in a preheated oven at 250°C, bake until the sticky rice is cooked and golden.
• Step 5: Roast the roasted rice until golden.
• Step 6: Pour 200ml coconut milk into a pot, add 5 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of starch and stir well (adjust according to your sweetness preference). Simmer and stir until the coconut milk thickens. Cut bananas into small pieces, place them in a bowl, pour coconut milk over and sprinkle roasted rice on top. Enjoy the dish.

Banana Sweet Soup is an elaborately crafted dessert. Grilled bananas are cooked into a sweet soup, allowing you to experience a delightful blend of fragrant and mildly sweet flavors without overwhelming richness. This dessert is loved by many for the creamy taste of coconut milk combined with the refreshing aroma of arrowroot and tapioca starch. You can enjoy this sweet soup at a dessert shop located at the end of Nguyen Binh Khiem Street for approximately 15,000 VND per bowl.

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe Cavendish bananas.
• 400ml canned coconut milk.
• 50g arrowroot starch.
• 100g white sugar.
• 50g julienned fresh coconut meat.
• 50g peanuts.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel and remove veins from bananas. Cut bananas into round slices, about 0.5 – 0.7cm thick. If bananas are large, you can halve them and then cut into diagonal pieces. Ensure the banana pieces are evenly cut.
• Step 2: Place sliced bananas in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and sugar, mix well, then marinate for 15 – 20 minutes. Note: When mixing bananas, use chopsticks, gently toss to prevent bananas from breaking or cracking. An alternative marinating method is to layer bananas and spices evenly, letting the bananas absorb the seasoning without flipping (only for soft, ripe bananas).
• Step 3: Roast peanuts until golden, let them cool, then crush and remove the husk. Place peanuts in a mortar and pestle, avoid grinding too finely to maintain a good texture.
• Step 4: Knead arrowroot starch multiple times with water until clean, then soak peanuts in cold water for about 15 minutes until they swell, drain the water.
• Step 5: Pour canned coconut milk into a pot along with a cup of cold water (the amount of water depends on the amount of sweet soup you want to make). Heat the pot. If using homemade coconut milk, follow the same process. Note: Adding more coconut milk does not make the sweet soup tastier; the right amount will give it a fragrant and not too heavy flavor. When the pot boils, add the bananas slowly, gently stir, then reduce the heat and simmer until the bananas are soft. The cooking time is about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Step 6: Next, add arrowroot starch to the pot, stir gently with a spoon until the starch turns completely white. Season with sugar according to your taste, then turn off the heat. Note: If making banana sweet soup in winter to eat hot, season with a moderate amount of sugar; if making it in summer to eat cold, season a bit sweeter so that when adding ice, the sweet soup will be just right.

Lychee Cage Lotus Seed Sweet Soup is an incredibly nutritious dessert, perfect for cooling down in the summer. Lychee, originating from Hue, has become popular in various regions, especially in Hanoi. The allure of this sweet soup comes from the chewy texture of fresh lotus seeds blended with the subtle sweetness of each white lychee. In Hanoi, Lychee Cage Lotus Seed Sweet Soup is a must-try, sure to captivate anyone who tastes it. You can enjoy this sweet soup at dessert stalls located at 93 Hang Bac, 1A Bat Dan, and 4 Hang Can streets, priced at approximately 20,000 VND per bowl.

Ingredients:

• Lychee fruit: Choose thick-fleshed lychee with a lot of meat. This ensures that the lychee cage lotus seeds won't crack or break, providing a crisp and sweet taste.
• Fresh lotus seeds: 1 lang.
• Rock sugar: 150g.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel the lychee, then use a sharp star or pointed stick to separate the flesh from the seed head. When the seed has separated, gently press it out, removing all the lychee peel. This way, the lychee flesh will be round and even, without cracks or breakage. After peeling, rinse the seeds in filtered water to remove any remaining impurities.
• Step 2: Cook the fresh lotus seeds by adding them to cold water. Boil gently for about 10-15 minutes. Skim off any foam. When the lotus seeds are soft and no longer bitter, remove and drain.
• Step 3: Heat a pan, add 100g of rock sugar and melt it. Add the boiled lotus seeds to the melted sugar. Once the lotus seeds have absorbed the sugar, they will stick together. Place the lotus seeds inside the lychee, and you will get beautiful lychee cage lotus seeds that stimulate the taste buds.
• Step 4: Pour the boiled lotus seed water back into the pan with the sugared lychee. If needed, add the remaining 50g of sugar to the water, season to taste. When the water boils, pour it back over the lychee cage lotus seeds. Immediately skim the lychee, rinse it in cold water, then drain. You now have a delicious lychee cage lotus seed sweet soup to treat your family. Enjoy it with shaved ice or chilled lychee sweet soup, it's delightful either way.

Coconut Root Taro Coconut Sweet Soup originates from Thailand. This is also considered a delicious dessert that you cannot miss when visiting Hanoi, appealing from color to flavor. The special thing about this sweet soup is that it is served inside a small coconut instead of a bowl. Inside that coconut are many eye-catching ingredients such as coconut jelly, taro jelly, palm seeds, jackfruit, and more. All come together to create a sweet and refreshing taste with the distinctive aroma of coconut water. You can enjoy this sweet soup at dessert stall number 30 Han Thuyen, Hanoi, priced at around 45,000 VND per coconut.

Ingredients:

• Coconut root: 500g.
• Taro flour: 100g.
• Beetroot: 1.
• Agar powder for soft fish: 1 pack.
• Coconut water: 1 can.
• Coconut: 1 fruit.
• Pandan leaves, sugar.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel and cut the coconut root into pomegranate seeds.
• Step 2: Color the coconut root: In fact, people outside the stall use food coloring to dye the coconut root. You can also use natural colors as follows:
  • Red dye: Use beets, grind and squeeze for water, then boil the coconut root in red beet water.
  • Green dye: Squeeze pandan leaves and boil the coconut root in the pandan water -> the coconut root will have a light green color.

• Step 3: Coat the coconut root with flour. After dyeing the coconut root, roll it in taro flour for a while to evenly coat the flour, then remove the excess flour layer. Boil a pot of water, add the flour-coated coconut root and cook until the outer layer of flour is cooked and the coconut root floats evenly on top. Pour into a bowl of boiling water to cool, then drain.
• Step 4: Make sugar syrup: After many experiments, I found that the sugar syrup recipe is as follows: 60ml water + 60g sugar + coconut water + 60ml fresh milk. If you like it sweeter, you can add more sugar. Simmer over low heat until the mixture is dissolved and well blended, then let it cool. Now you just need to layer the sugar water, adding a little of each colored coconut root to create the top layer for the coconut root taro coconut sweet soup.

Almond Pandan Dessert is also one of the delicious desserts in Hanoi that you cannot miss. This dessert has its origins from the Chinese community in Vietnam and has become known in many places. It is considered a refreshing and delicious dessert. The attraction of Almond Pandan Dessert comes from the agar jelly cubes, perfectly cut, combined with the white color of milk or coconut milk. The clear soup is the perfect harmony between sweet syrup, the subtly sweet taste of longan, the fragrant aroma of crunchy almonds, and the white agar cubes with the scent of cheese. You can enjoy this dessert at number 10, Hang Tre, Hanoi, priced at around 20,000 VND/bowl.

Ingredients:

• Fresh milk 250ml (with or without sugar), 250ml whipping cream
• 15g gelatin powder, 150g rock sugar or white sugar.
• 2g green tea powder + 250ml water, 20g almonds and longan or any desired fruits.
• 6 Pandan leaves (Nep leaves).

Instructions:

• Step 1: Dissolve 150ml fresh milk with gelatin powder for 15 minutes to evenly bloom the powder. Pour fresh milk and whipping cream into a bowl, add 50 - 60g sugar and stir to dissolve. Divide the mixture into 2 equal bowls:
  • Bowl 1 makes white jelly: Steam the mixture in a double boiler, reduce heat, and pour the mixture into the pot. Simultaneously heat and stir the mixture. When the mixture is hot, add 1/2 bowl of gelatin, stir to dissolve. Use a mold lined with a layer of food wrap inside. Pour the jelly mixture after steaming through a sieve to remove lumps or bubbles for smoother milk. Store the white milk mixture in the refrigerator for 4 hours to set.
  • Bowl 2 makes green jelly: Steam the remaining milk mixture, when hot, add the remaining gelatin and stir to dissolve. Dissolve green tea powder in water, add some hot milk mixture to dissolve the green tea powder evenly. Pour the green tea mixture into the milk mixture, stir to create a green mixture. Pour the mixture into the mold through a sieve to remove residue, and store in the refrigerator for 4 hours to set.

• Step 2: Boil 1 liter of water with 80 - 90g rock sugar. Stir gently until the sugar is dissolved. Rinse the Pandan leaves, roll them up, and add them to the boiling sugar water, then remove them immediately.
• Step 3: Roast the almonds with low heat until they are evenly golden. If using fresh longan: Separate the seeds and pulp, rinse with water. Steam the longan pulp in sugar water to have white longan and sweet-smelling sugar water. At this point, add the pandan leaves last. If using canned longan: Separate the longan, add the water to the pandan sugar water to enhance the fragrance. Cut the jelly into small, bite-sized pieces.
• Step 4: Place the jelly and longan in a bowl, pour sugar water over it and add almonds on top. If you like, you can add red beans and various fruits such as strawberries, watermelon, or other fruits for more color. Now you have completed the delicious Almond Pandan Dessert with a refreshing taste, chewy jelly, fragrant longan, and sweet syrup.

Coconut Pomelo Dessert is also highly praised as a fantastic dessert in Hanoi that anyone would want to try. The crispy pomelo rind blends with the rich flavor of coconut milk and shaved ice, creating a dessert that seems to melt everyone immediately with just one bite. You can enjoy this dessert on Cua Bac street, Ngo Sy Lien market, Ba Trieu street, Hang Giay street,... with prices starting from only 15,000 VND/cup.

Ingredients:

• 1 pomelo, any type is fine.
• 200g tapioca starch, 80g sugar.
• Fruit color of your choice.
• Coconut milk: 200ml coconut milk, 100ml cold water, 100g sugar boiled in water.
• 2 Pandan leaves.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel the outer skin of the pomelo, take the white part and cut it into thin, long strips.
• Step 2: Place the pomelo rind in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of salt, a little cold water, squeeze to dissolve the salt. Squeeze for about 1-2 minutes each time. Then rinse through cold water 5-6 times for the pomelo rind to remove bitterness.
• Step 3: Drain the pomelo rind, put it in a bowl with 40g sugar, mix together for about 2-3 minutes for the pomelo rind to absorb the sweet taste. Then divide the pomelo rind into multiple portions, add colors. Let it sit for about 3 hours. You can also use colors from the juice of various vegetables, natural grains that you like such as carrots, purple cabbage, red beans, pandan leaves,...
• Step 4: Boil a pot of water, add the pomelo rind and blanch for 1 minute. Then pour into a basket, squeeze the pomelo rind slightly dry. Now, add the remaining sugar and evenly mix. Then add tapioca starch to coat the pomelo rind evenly.
• Step 5: Boil another pot of water, when the water boils, add the pomelo rind coated with tapioca starch to cook. When you see the pomelo rind floating, cook for an additional 1 minute, then quickly remove and place it in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to make the pomelo rind inside crispy. Then remove it to a bowl.
• Step 6: Add the coconut milk and pandan leaves to a pot, cook over low heat. When the coconut milk boils, add the pomelo rind and stir evenly. Taste and adjust the sweetness before turning off the heat.

When indulging in this special Yogurt and Jackfruit Sweet Soup, you will easily sense the delightful harmony of pearl bubbles and the fragrant aroma of coconut sesame, the crispy sweetness of jackfruit, and the sweet and sour taste of ripe strawberries, all very characteristic. Once you've tasted this sweet soup, you're guaranteed never to forget it. You can enjoy this sweet soup at 24 Ba Trieu street for around 20,000 VND/bowl.

Ingredients:

• White yogurt: 4 boxes.
• Sweetened condensed milk: 4 tablespoons.
• Jackfruit: 300g - Chân trâu variety.
• Agar (if desired).
• Coconut milk (if desired).

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel and shred the jackfruit or use a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces.
• Step 2: White pearls can be made from tapioca starch, kneaded into bite-sized balls, or purchased pre-made. Boil a pot of water, add the pearls, and when they float to the surface, they are cooked. Let them boil for an additional 2 minutes, then scoop them into a bowl of boiled water to cool. You can also add a few ice cubes to keep the pearls from sticking together. Then, scoop them into a bowl of sugar water or place them on a plate to mix with jackfruit yogurt.
• Step 3: Soak agar agar in 1 liter of water until it expands, then place it on the stove, add the appropriate amount of sugar, and can create various colors from syrups or vegetables. When the agar agar boils for 2 minutes, turn off the heat, pour it into a tray, a box to cool, then put it in the fridge for about 2 hours to solidify and cool. Cut it into small squares that are bite-sized (you should do this step early to avoid wasting time. Agar agar can be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days).
• Step 4: Pour the yogurt into a large bowl, mix well until smooth.
• Step 5: Arrange jackfruit, agar agar, pearls, coconut milk, and condensed milk evenly underneath, then add crushed ice, a bit of grated coconut to make the yogurt sweet soup more appealing.

The Avocado Sweet Soup is widely loved by many for its delightful taste and exceptional quality. A bowl of Avocado Sweet Soup consists of a piece of avocado jelly made from fresh avocados ground with milk, featuring a light green color in the middle of a mixture of coconut milk blended with fresh milk. When you bite into that piece of jelly, you'll easily sense the naturally gentle flavor of avocado. Although seemingly simple, once you've tasted it, you'll surely remember it forever. You can enjoy this sweet soup at a dessert shop on Xa Dan street for around 12,000 VND/bowl.

Ingredients:

• 300g avocado = 2 small avocados
• 350ml unsweetened fresh milk.
• 2 tablespoons condensed milk, 2 tablespoons sugar = 40g.
• 7g gelatin = 3.5 sheets.
• 1 teaspoon lime juice.
• Coconut milk: 100ml coconut milk + 10g sugar + a pinch of salt.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 15 minutes. Then, scoop the sheets into a bowl, place the bowl in a pot of boiling water to melt the gelatin (keep the gelatin bowl in hot water like that).
• Step 2: Remove the seeds and peel of the avocado, put them in a blender with fresh milk + lime juice + condensed milk + ground sugar until smooth.
• Step 3: Pour the avocado mixture into a bowl, add the melted gelatin, and stir well.
• Step 4: Then pour this mixture into a bowl, refrigerate for a few hours until the avocado solidifies.
• Step 5: Pour the coconut milk mixture into a pot to dissolve, bring to a boil and let it cool.
• Step 6: Place the avocado dessert in a bowl, pour the coconut milk over it, and if you have agar or cold noodles, feel free to add them to enhance the appeal of this summer dessert.

Mango Sweet Soup is a relatively new and only known in recent years, yet it has become an irresistible and delightful dessert in Hanoi. Mango Sweet Soup originates from Hong Kong but has been creatively modified by local vendors in Hanoi to make it even more appealing. The sweet soup is mainly made from ripe and yellow mangoes, and after the processing, it solidifies into a jelly-like texture, similar to agar, which is wonderful. You can enjoy this sweet soup on Hang Than street for a price ranging from 10,000 - 15,000 VND/bowl.

Ingredients:

• Ripe mangoes: 4 - 5 fruits.
• Dried boba (powder): 50-55g, or you can make your own boba if you prefer.
• Coconut milk: 1 small bowl.
• Fresh milk, white sugar.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Take one mango, cut it in half, and use a knife to cut it into small squares. Then, put the mango in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Peel the remaining 3 mangoes, and cut them into small pieces.
• Step 2: Boil water to cook boba thoroughly. When the water boils, turn down the heat and stir gently to prevent the boba from sticking together. When all boba floats, and the powder becomes transparent, turn off the heat. Scoop the boba into a bowl and put it immediately in cold water. Soak the boba for about 5-10 minutes, then take it out, let it cool and drain the water.
• Step 3: Next, put the mango in a blender and grind it. Then, put a pot on the stove. Add the mixture of milk and coconut milk, along with an additional bowl of filtered water, then bring to a boil. Add sugar to taste.
• Step 4: When the milk mixture boils, add the ground mango and boba. Remember to stir well. Then add the small pieces of mango. Taste again to adjust the sweetness. Note, if you're having the sweet soup with ice, it should be a bit sweeter. Once the sweet soup boils again, you can turn off the heat.
  

The enticing aroma of various fruits coming together in a bowl of sweet soup is sure to make anyone fall in love after just one try. Mixed Fruit Soup captivates diners with a perfect balance of sweetness, natural freshness, and a vibrant array of colors from various fruits such as mangoes, jackfruit, grapes, pineapples, watermelon, dragon fruit, pears, fruit jelly,... You can enjoy this delightful dessert at 92 Cua Bac street for around 15,000 VND/bowl.

Ingredients:

• 150g tapioca starch.
• Coconut cream powder.
• Boiling water.
• Palm sugar.
• Various fruits such as dragon fruit, apples, strawberries, watermelon...

Instructions:

• Step 1: First, add tapioca starch to a bowl with a little coconut cream powder or coconut cream. Gradually pour boiling water into the bowl, stirring evenly with a spoon. Stop when the dough is wet enough to knead. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic without sticking to your hands.
• Step 2: Cut the dough into small, evenly rounded pieces. Pay attention to kneading small boba pieces evenly to ensure even cooking.
• Step 3: Pour water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Then add the boba pieces, and when they float, cook for a few more minutes, then turn off the heat. Scoop out the boba and place it in a bowl of water to prevent sticking together.
• Step 4: Put water and sugar into a pot and cook until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar water boils, turn off the heat and let it cool. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.
• Step 5: Peel and dice the various fruits, then place them separately in a plate and store them in the refrigerator. When serving, scoop each type of fruit into a bowl, add boba and ice, then pour the sugar water over it, and the dish is complete.