Ching Bo Leung (清補涼)

Name: Ching Bo Leung (清補涼)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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