Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Tau Suan (Split Mung Bean Soup)

A comforting Singapore-style sweet soup of split mung beans simmered with pandan and sweetened with gula melaka or rock sugar, traditionally served warm with pieces of youtiao for breakfast or supper.

Tau Suan (Split Mung Bean Soup)

About this dish

Tau Suan (split mung bean soup) is a humble Chinese dessert-soup you'll find from kopitiams to neighbourhood hawker centres across Singapore — perfect as a warming breakfast, late-night supper or light dessert after a family zi char meal. In the heartlands from Tiong Bahru to the East Coast, tau suan is a familiar, soothing bowl: lightly sweet, with a silky porridge texture and fragrant pandan notes.

The base is simple — split mung beans cooked down with pandan leaf and ginger until soft, then sweetened with gula melaka or rock sugar to taste. Some stalls add a dash of coconut milk for creaminess, while many Singaporeans love the contrast of warm, velvety soup with crunchy pieces of you tiao (Chinese fried dough) or homemade fried dough fritters. It’s an easy, pantry-friendly recipe that suits busy parents prepping supper, or home cooks who want a nostalgic, no-fuss dessert.

Expect a mildly sweet, earthy flavour with soft, slightly grainy beans that break down into a porridge-like consistency. Adjust the sugar and consistency to your preference — thicker like a paste, or looser as a drinkable soup. This version includes local tips like using gula melaka for deeper caramel notes, pandan for aromatic lift, and alternatives for pressure-cooker or stovetop cooking to suit Singapore kitchens and lunchtime routines.

Ingredients

  • 250 g split mung beans (yellow mung dal / washed)
  • 1.2 litres water (plus extra for soaking, optional)
  • 3 pandan leaves, knotted
  • 30 g fresh ginger, sliced thin (about 2–3 slices per serving to taste)
  • 100 g gula melaka, chopped (or 120 g palm sugar) — adjust to taste
  • 100 g rock sugar or caster sugar (optional; use instead of or in addition to gula melaka)
  • 150 ml coconut milk (optional, for creamier version)
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt (to balance sweetness)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for shallow-frying youtiao, optional)
  • 1 fresh youtiao (Chinese fried dough) or 2 frozen ready-made, cut into 3 cm pieces (optional accompaniment)
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
  • Fresh pandan leaf or pandan chiffon strips (for garnish, optional)
  • Lime wedges (optional, a tiny squeeze brightens the bowl)
  • Optional spice: 1–2 small bird's eye chillies sliced thin (for a savoury-spicy regional twist, not traditional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. 1. Rinse the split mung beans under cold water until the runoff is clear; optionally soak them for 20–30 minutes to shorten cooking time (soaking not strictly necessary for split beans).
  2. 2. In a 3-litre pot or a pressure cooker/Instant Pot, combine the rinsed beans, 1.2 litres water, knotted pandan leaves and the sliced ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. 3. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam — the beans should break down into a thick porridge-like texture. If using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 8–10 minutes, then natural release.
  4. 4. When the beans are soft and partially broken down, mash a few spoonfuls against the side of the pot to thicken the soup; add more water if you prefer a looser consistency (Singapore hawker stalls vary from soupy to pudding-like).
  5. 5. Add gula melaka (or rock sugar) in small increments, stirring until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness — Singapore palates often prefer a balanced, not overly sweet finish. Add 1/4 tsp salt to lift the flavours.
  6. 6. If using coconut milk, stir it through off the heat or over very low heat to avoid curdling; warm through and adjust seasoning.
  7. 7. Prepare youtiao: warm pre-bought pieces in a toaster oven or shallow-fry recently bought youtiao in 1–2 tbsp oil until crisp, then drain on paper towel and cut into bite-sized pieces to serve alongside or on top of each bowl.
  8. 8. Serve Tau Suan warm in bowls with a few pieces of youtiao, a drizzle of extra gula melaka if desired, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or pandan strips. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or coconut milk.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Use split mung beans (yellow dal) for fastest breakdown; whole green mung beans need much longer cooking.
  • Short soak (20–30 minutes) reduces stovetop time — handy for busy weeknights in a Singapore home kitchen.
  • Gula melaka gives a caramel, smoky depth typical in Singapore; substitute with brown sugar or rock sugar if unavailable at NTUC or Cold Storage.
  • For a creamier finish, stir in coconut milk off the heat; add sparingly to keep the soup from becoming too rich.
  • Make it in a pressure cooker/Instant Pot to save time: 8–10 minutes at high pressure for a silky texture.
  • Keep youtiao separate until serving so it stays crunchy; add at the last minute like hawker stalls do.
  • Adjust sweetness little by little — Singapore hawker-style sweetness tends to be balanced rather than cloying.
  • Store refrigerated for 2–3 days; reheat with a splash of water or coconut milk and stir well to restore texture.

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