Kem Chuoi is a traditional frozen Vietnamese Banana Dessert.
The healthy street food snack is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free. It’s a simple recipe that requires just a handful of affordable ingredients.
Our quick & easy Kem Chuoi recipe features ripe banana, coconut cream sauce, sweet shredded coconut flakes and roasted peanuts. The ingredients are wrapped around a stick, stored in a freezer until solid and then eaten like a popsicle.
We love serving this healthy Vietnamese Banana Dessert on a hot summer day as a substitue for ice cream.
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What Is Kem Chuoi?
Kem Chuoi, also known as Kem Chuối, is a popular Vietnamese Banana Dessert.
The tasty tropical frozen dessert is often sold as a street food in Vietnam. On a hot and humid day kids love to enjoy Kem Chuoi by holding the stick like a popsicle or ice cream bar.
Kem Chuoi is considered a healthy dessert option as it’s vegan, vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free.
Our easy recipe features ripe bananas, sweet coconut cream, coconut flakes and roasted peanuts.
Travel to Vietnam by Making Kem Chuoi at Home
I love traveling to Asia.
My first visit to Asia had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout southeast Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
I spent over a month traveling by bus through Vietnam. I started in the south, spending a few days in Saigon before exploring the floating markets in the nearby Mekong Delta. I then took a series of night buses north making stops in Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, Halong Bay and Hanoi.
What I found most fascinating is Vietnam’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the regional cuisines found in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, each town in Vietnam had its own local speciality.
I tasted Kem Chuoi for the first time on the streets of Saigon. It was a very hot day and I was on a walking tour of the city when our guide stopped at a street food stall and ordered us this refreshing frozen Vietnamese Banana Dessert.
I loved the cold snack, featuring soft banana, crunchy peanuts and chewy shredded coconut.
Where To Eat Vietnamese Banana Dessert
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Vietnamese restaurant that serves traditional Kem Chuoi.
Haven’t traveled to Vietnam before? It may be helpful to first sample Kem Chuoi at a local restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can assess the ideal banana to coconut ratio, whether to use salted or candied peanuts, and the perfect portion to add to the end of each stick.
In Toronto, popular Vietnamese restaurants that may serve their own Vietnamese Banana Dessert recipe include Pinky’s Ca Phe, Pho Phuong, Pho Vistro, Anh Dao, Pho Hung, Pho Asia 21 or The Golden Turtle.
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My Family Loves Vegan and Dairy Free Kem Chuoi
I love cooking Vietnamese food for my friends and family.
After returning from Vietnam I was excited to recreate some of the dishes I enjoyed on my culinary journey between Saigon to Hanoi.
I knew my family would love this homemade Vietnamese Banana Dessert on a hot day at our cottage in the summer. My family love desserts that are healthy, easy to make and include flavours like peanuts, banana and coconut.
I prepared the vegan popsicles on a rainy day then popped them in the freezer and served them the following afternoon on the dock. They made for the perfect refreshing midday snack on a hot and humid day.
This is my go-to summer dessert recipe if I’m entertaining those with special dietary needs like gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
Kem Chuoi Health Benefits
Our homemade Vietnamese Banana Dessert recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Containing starch and fibre, bananas are an excellent superfood for digestive health. They are a good source of heart-healthy potassium, as well as amino acids and vitamin B6, which help keep your brain healthy.
Coconut is rich in fibre and may also offer a number of benefits including improved heart healthy and digestion. It is high in calories and sautéed fat so be sure to eat in moderation.
Peanuts are rich in protein, fat, and fibre. While peanuts may have a large amount of fat, most of the fats they contain are known as “good fats.”
Vietnamese Banana Dessert Recipe Tips
This easy Kem Chuoi recipe is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest using ripe bananas that are yellow with brown spots. Do not use unripe green bananas as they will be too starchy. Ripe bananas have a softer texture so are easier to mould into shape.
- We’ve used wooden barbecue skewers but you can also use disposable chopsticks.
- Place ripe banana on parchment paper and smush over a chopstick or wooden skewer so it looks like a popsicle.
- Peel back the parchment paper and slather banana with coconut sauce. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and chopped peanuts. Flip the banana over and repeat the process for the other side of the banana.
- Wrap banana with plastic wrap so it is a tight package. Store in the freezer for at least 4 hours or until frozen.
- This recipe is popular because of its flavour and textural contrasts. Soft banana, crunchy peanuts and chewy shredded coconut. We suggest using sweetened shredded coconut and either candied peanuts, roasted peanuts or salted peanuts based on your preference.
What To Serve with Vietnamese Kem Chuoi
We love serving this healthy Vietnamese Banana Dessert as an ice cream substitute on a hot summer day. It’s perfect for those who are vegan, gluten free or dairy free.
We often serve Kem Chuoi on a tray with a bowl of fresh tropical Vietnamese fruit like pomelo, mango, passionfruit and rose apple.
Hosting a Vietnamese-themed dinner party? Serve Kem Chuoi as dessert after feasting on some of these popular Vietnamese dishes:
- Bun Cha Vietnamese Noodle Bowl
- Vietnamese Grilled Pork “Bun Thit Nuong”
- Goi Xoai Vietnamese Mango Salad
- Goi Ga Vietnamese Salad
- Shrimp & Pork Vietnamese Egg Rolls
- Vietnamese Crepe Bánh Xèo
- Ca Ri Ga Vietnamese Chicken Curry
- Bo Luc Lac Shaking Vietnamese Beef Stir Fry
- Sweet & Spicy Thit Ram Vietnamese Caramel Pork
- Crispy Spicy Fried Lemongrass Vietnamese Tofu
You May Also Enjoy These Dessert Recipes…
- Vegan Gluten Free Thai Coconut Mango Glutinous Rice Balls
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- Tropical Coconut Mango Ice Cream Sundae
- Vegan Flourless Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gianduja Lindt Lindor Chocolate Cake
- Fresh Fig Frangipane Pistachio Tartlets
- Caribbean Coconut Rum Banana Bread Bundt Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Muffin Tops
- Mahalabia Middle Eastern Rose Pistachio Milk Pudding
- Swedish Ricotta Oatmeal Rhubarb Bars
- Moist Baileys Banoffee Cake
- Flaky Swedish Rhubarb Cherry Pie
- Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
- Skittles Sugar Cookies
- Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake
How To Make Healthy Kem Chuoi Vietnamese Banana Dessert
Kem Chuoi Vietnamese Banana Dessert
Equipment
- Plastic Wrap
- Parchment Paper
- Wooden skewers
- Small Pot
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Coconut Cream
- 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
- Pinch Salt
- 1/2 tbsp White Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water
- 1 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- 1 cup Salted Roasted Peanuts chopped
- 4 Ripe Bananas
- 4 Disposable Chopsticks or Wooden Skewers
- Plastic Wrap
- Parchment Paper cut into rectangles the length of your bananas
Instructions
- Bring coconut milk, coconut cream, salt and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir the cornstarch slurry then slowly pour it into the saucepan and vigorously stir for a few seconds. Remove from heat and pour into a shallow bowl. Let cool.
- Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on your counter. Place a rectangular parchment paper sheet on top and place a banana in the centre. Fold over the parchment paper and using a cutting board or bottom of a large spatula, press the banana down to smush it. Insert a skewer into the centre of the banana that is closest to you.
- Peel back the parchment paper and slather banana with cooled coconut sauce. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and chopped peanuts. Flip the banana over and repeat the process for the other side of the banana.
- Wrap banana with plastic wrap so it is a tight package and then repeat these steps for all of the bananas.
- Freeze Kem Chuoi for at least 4 hours before serving.
Nutrition
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