I grew up eating lots of sweet peanut soup.
My late parents, especially my late mother had a sweet tooth and she liked desserts and sugar-loaded foods.
For supper (the time after dinner, about 10 pm), my family loved having tong sui (糖水), or literally means “sugar water” as our dessert. (Bee Koh Moy or sweet black sticky rice soup is a similar dessert.)
Almost every night, my father or one of my elder brothers would go out to the Jelutong market to buy our favorite sweet peanut soup, or “tor tao jin th’ng.”
So many years later, the same vendor is still selling at the same spot, with the best and most decadent sweet peanut soup and other tong sui in Penang.
It’s my favorite dessert, one that I could have every night whenever I go home to Penang, and one that I always crave whenever I feel like having something sweet at 10 pm.
This is my home-made sweet peanut soup and the taste is exactly the same as the ones sold at Jelutong market. You need only a few ingredients: peanuts, water, and rock sugar. That’s all.
I added a little bit of coconut milk to make it even creamier and richer. There are two tricks to make the peanuts melt in your mouth and completely dissolved: soak the peanuts overnight (to help soften the peanuts) and use a pressure cooker.
Regular slow cooker will not work well as the peanuts will still be hard regardless of the long hours of cooking.
This is a very good recipe! If you love sweet peanut soup like I do, do try to make it at home.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 506 calories per serving.
5 Secrets to 20 Min Dinners
Get tricks for quick & easy meals!
Sweet Peanut Soup
This is my home-made sweet peanut soup that is rich, sweet and creamy. You need only a few ingredients: peanuts, water, and rock sugar.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. peanuts, skin peeled
- rock sugar to taste
- 8 cups water
- 3-4 tablespoons coconut milk optional
Directions
-
1Soak the peanuts overnight with water. Make sure all the peanuts are submerged in the water.
-
2
The next day, rinse the peanuts thoroughly and transfer them into a pressure cooker with 8 cups of water. Depending on your pressure cooker, you might want to add more or reduce the amount of water accordingly.
-
3
Use high heat to pressure cook the peanut soup for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and cook for another 30-40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool until you are able to remove the lid of the pressure cooker.
-
4
Heat up the sweet peanut soup again with medium to low heat, add rock sugar to taste. Boil it until the peanuts are thoroughly soft. Add the coconut milk towards the end, boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
The water should reduce to about 6-7 cups after they are done. The soup should be creamy in color, not too watery, but creamy and rich.
Yeh Ximin
James
Hi Bee,
Firstly, thank for this beautiful entry.
I’m also a fan of this traditional peanut soup.
All instructions you provided here are crystal clear.
However, there is one problem for me.
I tried this last night but failed badly when trying to remove the skins. For unknown reason, it was almost to impossible to separate skin from the nuts. Would you be able to advise what is the best method to remove the skins or which method do you prefer?
Thanks in advance
Rasa Malaysia
Just soak the peanuts overnight but buy peanuts without skin.
David James
Wow!, I think I’ve hone to Heaven. When I lived in San Francisco a many years ago. There was lots of Filipino restaurants and friends in the Bay Area who cooked like the Gods of good foods. I so long for this cuisine of the Philippines.
Now!, I shall spend a many of weeks and months, making and enjoying these exquisite Asian dishes!
Here!, here!, I’ve found my renewed passion for these superb dishes!
Be well!
David, Brooklyn, NYC, USA
Sharon Yeo
What if I don’t have a pressure cooker ?
Rasa Malaysia
Just boil.
Jo Ann R.
HI, what is the difference between using rock sugar and the regular white table sugar?
Rasa Malaysia
Rock sugar is less sweet and better for this recipe. You can use sugar to taste.
Mahy Elamin
So many great flavors in this soup!! This recipe super easy and full of ingredients my family loves.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks!
Alycia
Hi what sort of peanuts can be used? The regular ones for boiling Chinese soup (savory)?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes regular ones.
Dee
How long should I cook it for if I’m doing it without a pressure cooker?
Maxwell Sim
at least 3 hours
Peter
Hi,
When you soaked the peanuts overnights, do you use room temp water or hot water?
Rasa Malaysia
Room temperature.
Peter
Got it!
Peter
Hi,
When you soaked the peanuts overnight, do use room temperature water or hot water?
Calsss
I use to love this too..will try out this one..but do u think adding pandan leaves to boil will taste good?
Rebecca
Thanks for sharing. If we soak the peanuts, I don’t think you need so long especially using the Pressure cooker. I turn to med low heat after the steam started to come out and turn off after 5 to 10 mins or the 2nd sound makes by the weight. Then stand for 1/2 hr as it is still boiling inside even we turn off the heat. The China people cooked for me in my house, it took not long as I heard him saying once you see the peanut float up, that means it is tender. Please make sure we remove those peanut has yellowish mold on the tip. It will cause Cancer !!