Clem's Lek Yau Suan (split Mung Bean gruel)

Most Teochew or Hokkein Chinese would be familiar with this breakfast item all across Malaysia and Singapore. For me, it is a classic culinary item from childhood often seen in the mornings or afternoons as a snack. Lek Tau Suan is basically a thickened, sweetish gruel containing split mung beans which have been cooked soft. It is most often flavoured with the essence from pandan leaves. In Kuching (not in Taiwan, I'm told by a Taiwanese this week), Lek Tau Suan is often topped with slices of Eu Cha Kuay (Chinese cruellers).

Lek Tau Suan is not difficult to make. Here's how:
 

INGREDIENTS

• Split Mung Beans
  Quantity of your choice for portion size and number there of.
   
• Sugar to taste.
  Your choice of type but for the typical colourless gruel, use white sugar.
   
• Some pandan leaves.
  Use as many as is needed to impart the strength of flavour desired.
   

• OPTIONAL: Sliced Eu Cha Kuay (Chinese Cruellers) for topping

METHOD

1. Thoroughly wash the mung beans until the water runs clear.
    
2. Soak them in excess water for at least 3 hours (I soaked mine overnight).
    
3. After soaking, drain the beans dry.
    
4. Recommended step:
   Steam the beans until as soft as you would like them to be.
   Steaming time should be around some 15 to 30 minutes depending on your beans and steaming condition.
    
5. Boil a quantity of water to make gruel which will contain the beans.
   The amount required is determined by eye to result in a gruel with the desired ratio of beans to water (thus, you can make a bean rich gruel or a thinner one).
    
6. Add some pandan leaves and continue boiling until the water is flavoured to your satisfaction.
    
7. Now you add the beans.
   If the beans have been steamed previously, you do not have to cook for long.
   If using unsteamed beans, then continue to boil with stirring until the beans are soft to your liking.
   
   Do not overcook: You want the split beans still whole in the gruel.
    
8. Add sugar to taste.
    
9. Next, you thicken the gruel by slowly dripping in while stirring the gruel, some starch slurry until the desired thickness of gruel is obtained.
   Your have several choice of starch - some will result in more gruel clarity than others.
   In my case, I used tapioca starch and the gruel clarity is as seen in the photo below.
    
10. Add slices of Chinese Cruellers as a topping if you will and serve while the gruel is hot.
     

Clem's Lek Tau Suan with Eu Cha Kuay
 

ENJOY!

www.clemkuek.com

09 July 2026
 

Created by Clem Kuek