Grass jelly Ice ( Es cincau sirup pandan )
Friday, February 24, 2012
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This is the drink of my childhood secret additives which I grew up with, a simple drink made of grass jelly (cincau). One thing I like about grass jelly (cincau) is always gives unique flavour to every sweet drink or dessert such “Es campur(Indonesian mix ice), although if you notice that the jelly itself has a slight bitter taste.
You may have found it very weird kind of jelly, but if you know how to unite the match, the translucent black became the honey bunny of your favorite drink.
However, grass jelly is unbelievably useful for the health benefits and to know the fact, I did some immediate search to the net, it reveal and described as lowering blood pressure, preventing indigestion, cooling body temperatures for fever including increasing fertility.
Today I will share my childhood drink during hot weather and my favorite way of enjoying grass jelly is in a sweet drink “grass jelly ice with pandan syrup” (es cincau sirup pandan) while my mother would love having it as a warm drink “grass jelly in wedang pokak”
Simple doesn’t mean you can not enjoy it and if you think that you don’t really need a complicated drink for your summer day, you may count on this one, It sort of thirst relief beverage, simple and easy to make.
Grass jelly Ice (Es cincau pandan)
Ingredients
1 block of grass jelly/cut into tiny cube or strips
Ice cubes
For the Pandan syrup
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4-5 pandan leaves-ripped with fork and knotted
method
To make pandan syrup
Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely
and the mixture is clear, At this point add in pandan leaves as flavouring.
**Remember - the longer you boil it, the thicker the syrup will be when cooled.
Remove the pan from the heat, let the syrup cool to room temperature.
Discard the pandan leaves, then pour into a tightly sealed, clean glass jar
and store in the refrigerator (Any clean and sealable container can be used).
* The syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.
To make the grass jelly ice (es cincau)
In a tall glass, scoop 3-4 tablespoon diced/strips grass jelly
Add in ice cubes and pandan syrup-adjust the sweetness as your desire
Top up with water, stir together and Enjoy!
Note
You can always buy a canned grass jelly and it available your local Asian food market
To brighten up the drink, you may add in tiny squeezed of lime
