Description
Quench your thirst with this cool and refreshing grass jelly drink with brown sugar syrup (เฉาก๊วยนมสด) recipe. This herbal-infused beverage combines the distinct flavors of earthy grass jelly with pandan leaves water, brown sugar simple syrup, and milk.
Ingredients
- 5 cups water. 1 cup for mixing with the jelly power. 3 cups for pandan water, and 1 cup for making brown sugar simple syrup.
- 1 packet of grass jelly. Use grass jelly powder or canned grass jelly. The canned version is even quicker and easier to use. Either option is completely fine. I wanted to infuse my grass jelly with pandan flavors, so I used the powder form instead. The canned jelly adds no sugar, so it's a good substitute.
- 2 pandan leaves, fresh or frozen, wrap the leaves into 5-6 inches pieces and bunch them together using twine. Find pandan leaves at the Asian market in the produce or frozen section. Fresh leaves are more difficult to find. Frozen leaves are sold in vacuum-sealed bags.
- 1 cup milk per serving glass. Add more as needed. I used creamy oat milk for my recipe, but you can use any choice. Half and half or evaporated milk can be used as partial creamy to sweeten the drink if desired.
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar syrup or simple syrup per serving. The brown sugar adds a deep caramelized taste to the grass jelly drink. However, substitute any sweetener or simple syrup like Tom Yum Herbal simple syrup.
- A handful of ice cubes. Use crushed or regular ice for an added refreshing chill drink. Use as needed.
Instructions
There are two options for making grass jelly. Both options are excellent, and it's up to your personal preference. The detailed instructions below are for the powdered jelly since it's more involved. (Not too much!).
Option 1. Using the canned jelly version. Open the canned black jelly, and slice the jelly off from the can. Then on a cutting board, use a knife to slice the jelly into small pieces. This option is when you are short on time and want a refreshing drink.
Option 2. Using a packet of grass jelly powder. This option is when you want to make something special with added pandan leaves infused in the water that will be used to mix with the grass jelly powder.
Let's get started on this simple but tasty drink!
- Prepare the grass jelly mixture: Using the powdered packet, remove all the bags from the packet and place them in a medium glass bowl. Then add 1 cup of water to the powder and whisk together. You'll have a thick black textured jelly that looks all mushy. Don't worry, it's normal. Set aside until the pandan-infused water is ready.
- In a small saucepan, add the pandan leaves and bring 3 cups of water to a gentle boil. Remove the pandan leaves, but do not throw them away. In the later steps, we will reuse it to make brown sugar simple syrup.
- Add the grass jelly mixture to the hot water, stirring often until the jelly melts into a thick watery consistency. Continue stirring for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
- Pour the black jelly into a glass bowl and allow it to cool completely. You'll get a thick gelatin jelly at this point. Tips* place the jelly glass in a cold or iced bath water pan to speed up the cooling process.
- Make the brown sugar simple syrup while letting the jelly cools to room temperature. Add 1 cup water to 1 cup brown sugar in a small saucepan. Add in the used pandan leaves and bring everything to a boil on medium heat. Simmer and stir often for 10 minutes until you have a deep caramelized brown syrup. Turn the heat off and let it cool.
- Check on the jelly. It should be hardened to a bouncy jello-like texture. Use a knife to slice into the jelly and slice them into small pieces for the drink. If planning on using large straws to drink from, slice the jelly into small cubes. I find this part the most satisfying and fun. It's like playing with a play dough and full of sensory inputs! (:
- Assemble the drink: In a glass, place grass jelly cubes, add the brown sugar, simple syrup, ice, and more grass jelly, and then pour in the milk. Alternate between ingredients as you'd like. Play and have fun! Drizzle with more simple syrup or a dash of brown sugar to top it off if desired.
- Adjust the flavors with more brown sugar, simple syrup, or milk. Gently stir to combine all the flavors and textures. Use a large straw to get the jelly pieces through. That's it! Enjoy!
Notes
- If you have a small sugar packet included in your powder. Feel free to use it or toss it. It just adds more sugar to your drink, so you may need to adjust the sweetness of your drink before serving.
- Grass jelly powder can be found in Asian grocery stores or online shops.
- If you are lucky, get fresh glass jelly from the refrigerator section from your Asian markets or a Chinese market with more ingredients tailored to East Asian cuisine.
- Use monk fruit sugar for a healthier and guilt-free option. Honey or agave or also great as sweeteners.
- Use natural sweeteners to make it healthier. Use monk fruit, agave, maple syrup, or honey as substitutes.
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- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Drinks
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai, Fusion