Recipe: Mak Chuk 麦粥糖水 (Wheat Porridge Dessert)

Growing up, did you have a favorite dessert? One of my favorite tong sui 糖水 is mak chuk, also known as wheat porridge dessert. My dad used to bring us to a tong sui stall in Seremban town centre, and I would always order this if it was available. I love the creamy, rich taste of this Asian dessert.

I wanted to recreate this dessert soup at home for my kids. Mak chuk is made by boiling wheat pearls (known as biji gandum) with water, and then coconut milk and rock sugar is added before serving. Pandan leaves is also used to give this dessert a lovely, subtle fragrance. I made a huge pot in the morning, and served it to the kids for their after-dinner dessert. I was so relieved that they loved it :) Even my Hubby had two bowls of it... yay!

Wheat pearls / corns (biji gandum) - these are available at convenience stores or supermarkets

Rich and creamy mak chuk

Mak chuk 麦粥糖水 (Wheat Porridge Dessert)
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 8

Ingredients
300g wheat corn/pearls (biji gandum)
1.5l water
300ml thick coconut milk
400ml thin coconut milk
115g rock sugar
A pinch of salt
3 pandan leaves, knotted


1. Rinse the wheat pearls in tap water for 5-6 times. Then, soak in water for 1 hour.

2. After 1 hour, rinse again and place the wheat pearls in a large pot. Cover with 1.5l water and add the pandan leaves. Bring to the boil over high heat, and once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 45 minutes. The wheat pearls should have softened by now - the texture should be soft, with a very slight bite in the centre.

3. Add both the coconut milk, salt and rock sugar and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes. Taste, and add more rock sugar if necessary.

4. Serve warm.


Note: The dessert soup will thicken considerably once cooled. If you are not eating all in one sitting, before eating, heat up the dessert soup gently and add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup hot water. Stir well and serve.

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