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    Home » Drinks » Ching Bo Leung (清補涼)

    Published: Oct 12, 2021 · Last Modified: Oct 28, 2021 by Jeannette ·

    Ching Bo Leung (清補涼)

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    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.
    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.
    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.

    The most refreshing Ching Bo Leung comes LOADED with its signature ingredients including pearl barley, seaweed, longan, dates and lotus seeds! It’s a sweet drink that’s satisfyingly moreish and perfect after any meal. Simply dump and boil to end each night with a light dessert!

    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.

    The most refreshing post-meal drink

    If you’re anything like me, you’ll crave something sweet after every savory meal, no matter how heavy the dish. But as tempting as a fudgy matcha brownie or sticky rice pudding is, sometimes the best way to end the day is with something light and refreshing.

    That’s where Mum’s homemade Ching Bo Leung comes in.

    Also known as ‘Sâm Bổ Lượng’ in Vietnamese, it’s a popular sweet drink served in restaurants or given as an edible gift. You may also be familiar with the savory soup version made using slow cooked pork bones.

    For our family, the one we hold dearest to our hearts is the one enjoyed as a dessert during house parties. When it’s made by Mum or an Aunty, there’s really only one way to drink it: Find the large plastic container it was made in and scoop a few ladles into your foam cup.

    Then get a spoon and dig into the outrageously moreish ingredients. If this was your childhood, then you know exactly what I’m talking about!

    While it’s made using dried herbs common in Chinese medicine, its taste is actually very far from Chinese Herbal Tea (涼茶). Instead of bitter undertones, you get a subtle sweet flavor that’s slightly thickened from the seaweed and deepened by red dates.

    The pearl barley, longan and lotus seeds all play a part in taking this drink’s texture game to a level beyond just enjoyable. When eaten together, they’re a dream combo!

    Which seaweed do I use?

    You may be familiar with the dried flaky seaweed from Grandma’s Chinese Seaweed Soup (紫菜汤), but there are many versions available, depending on the cooking style.

    For Ching Bo Leung, we use a thick type that has a long rectangular shape. It comes frozen or dried and you can buy it in packets from Asian supermarkets.

    If you’re using the frozen ones, simply defrost what you plan to use, give it a quick rinse in cold water and let it drip dry in a colander until use. Any leftovers can be sealed and stored back in the freezer.

    For the dehydrated version, soak in cool water for 20 minutes or until completely rehydrated. Then just like the frozen ones, rinse and drip dry.

    Either versions will make a deliciously refreshing sweet drink!

    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.

    Why this recipe works

    • Using rock sugar keeps the drink lightly sweet so the other ingredients can shine.
    • Dried herbs retain their texture once rehydrated in the dessert soup.
    • Frozen seaweed is easy to prepare as it only needs to be defrosted and rinsed.

    What you’ll need

    Bowls of water, seaweed, pearl barley, dried longan, dried dates, rock sugar and a colander of lotus seeds.

    About the herbs

    You can get all the ingredients from Asian supermarkets. Alternatively, Chinese medicinal shops will sell them too.

    Some shops also sell packs with all the ingredients in small quantities for convenience. With these, there could also be additional dried herbs like snow fungus or the ones we use for Buddha Jumps Over The Wall Soup (佛跳墙). You can add the extra ingredients to the drink as well.

    How to make this recipe

    Red dates, longan and lotus seeds boiling in water in a pot.

    Bring the water to a boil. In the meantime, rinse all the ingredients in cool water.

    Once the water has boiled, pour in the red dates, pearl barley, lotus seeds and longan. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

    Ching Bo Leung ingredients in a pot.

    After the 15 minutes, add the seaweed and rock sugar in and cook over a medium heat for another 15 minutes or until the ingredients have reached your preferred texture.

    Serve hot as is or pour it into a container to cool in the fridge and enjoy it cold!

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make this in an Instant Pot?

    Certainly! You can find all the times and exact pressure settings from Katie’s Test Kitchen. Keep in mind that her recipe yields more of the drink, so you might want to adjust the times slightly.

    How long can I store this for?

    If left sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated, you can have it in there for up to a week. Just remember to use a clean spoon to scoop the contents out each time.

    Why are my ingredients still so hard?

    After cooking for 30 minutes, they should be fairly soft. If you want it softer, just let it simmer for longer.

    Tips for the best results

    • Thoroughly wash the seaweed. This will minimize the smell and taste of the sea.
    • Remove the seeds from the red dates. If you buy jujubes with the seeds still in them, cut each in half and remove the seed first. Alternatively, buy the pitted ones.
    • Use fresher dried ingredients. Buy them in smaller quantities. The longer they’re left untouched, the less fresh they are. For instance, dried longan can turn very dark if left for too long.
    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.

    What to serve it with

    • Start off with some exciting appetizers like our Chạo Tôm (Sugar Cane Shrimp) and Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm (Fish Sauce Chicken Wings)
    • Wonton Egg Noodle Soup (港式云吞面) is the perfect noodle soup to have before Ching Bo Leung.
    • Drizzle some Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil over the noodles to get some heat in!

    Want more home cooked recipes?

    Subscribe to our email list and be the first to get recipe updates as soon as they’re posted. You can also follow Wok & Kin on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

    Ching Bo Leung in glass cups.

    Ching Bo Leung (清補涼)

    Ching Bo Leung comes with its signature moreish ingredients that's perfect after any meal. End each night with this easy light dessert!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 118kcal
    Author: Jeannette

    Ingredients

    • 120 g / 0.26 lb seaweed
    • 130 g / 0.27 lb dried longan
    • 80 g / 0.18 lb dried red dates
    • 90 g / 0.2 lb pearl barley
    • 100 g / 0.22 lb dried lotus seed
    • 120 g / 0.26 lb rock sugar (or to taste)
    • 2.5 L / 10.6 US cup water

    Instructions

    • Bring the water to a boil. In the meantime, rinse all the ingredients in cool water.
    • Once the water has boiled, pour in the red dates, pearl barley, lotus seeds and longan. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
    • After the 5 minutes, add the seaweed and rock sugar in and cook over a medium heat for another 5 minutes or until the ingredients have reached your preferred texture.
    • Serve hot as is or pour it into a container to cool in the fridge and enjoy it cold!

    Notes

    • Thoroughly wash the seaweed. This will minimize the smell and taste of the sea.
    • Remove the seeds from the red dates. If you buy jujubes with the seeds still in them, cut each in half and remove the seed first. Alternatively, buy the pitted ones.
    • Use fresher dried ingredients. Buy them in smaller quantities. The longer they're left untouched, the less fresh they are. For instance, dried longan can turn very dark if left for too long.
    • You can get all the ingredients from Asian supermarkets or Chinese medicinal shops.
    • Some shops also sell packs with all the ingredients in small quantities for convenience. With these, there could also be additional dried herbs which you can add the extra ingredients to the drink as well.
    • We use thick seaweed with a long rectangular shape. It comes frozen or dried and you can buy it in packets from Asian supermarkets.
    • If you're using frozen seaweed, defrost what you plan to use, give it a quick rinse in cold water and let it drip dry in a colander until use. Any leftovers can be sealed and stored back in the freezer.
    • For the dehydrated seaweed, soak in cool water for 20 minutes or until completely rehydrated. Then just like the frozen ones, rinse and drip dry.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me TODAY!If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @wokandkin.

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