Thai Water Chestnut Coconut Dessert
Jewel-like water chestnuts coated in tapioca, fried until crispy, then dunked in sweet coconut syrup. A beloved Thai dessert that's crispy, chewy, and utterly addictive.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 1g
Ingredients
- 1 can (8 oz) canned whole water chestnuts, drained and patted dry
- ¾ cup tapioca pearls (small, 2-3mm)
- 3 drops red food coloring (optional)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk, full-fat
- ½ cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cups crushed ice
Instructions
- 1
Pat 1 can of drained water chestnuts completely dry with paper towels — they'll coat better without excess moisture. Place the dried water chestnuts in a medium mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour 0.75 cup of small tapioca pearls into another bowl. If using red food coloring for a more traditional appearance, add 3 drops to the tapioca and stir well to tint evenly. Working in batches, toss the water chestnuts in the tapioca until each piece is completely coated — the tapioca should stick to the damp surface of the chestnuts.
- 3
Make the coconut syrup: Pour 1 can of full-fat coconut milk, 0.5 cup of palm sugar (or light brown sugar), and 0.25 cup of water into a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth, about 3-4 minutes — you're not boiling it, just gently warming it to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
- 4
Now you'll deep-fry the coated water chestnuts. Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or wok and set over medium-high heat. Let it preheat for 3-4 minutes until a single tapioca pearl dropped into the oil sizzles immediately and floats to the surface.
- 5
Carefully add the tapioca-coated water chestnuts to the hot oil in two batches — don't overcrowd the pan, as they need room to fry evenly. The tapioca will turn translucent and golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch. They're ready when the coating is crispy and light golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried pieces to a paper towel-lined plate. Let them cool for 1 minute — they'll continue to crisp as they cool.
- 6
Prepare your serving bowls: Fill each bowl with 0.5 cup of crushed ice. Arrange the fried water chestnuts on top of the ice. Pour the reserved coconut syrup generously over the warm tapioca and cold ice — the contrast of hot and cold is essential to the dish. Serve immediately with a spoon for the syrup and the crispy pieces together.
Tools you’ll need
- paper towels
- two medium mixing bowls
- small saucepan
- heavy-bottomed saucepan or wok
- instant-read thermometer (optional)
- slotted spoon
- paper towel-lined plate
- four serving bowls
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