Grass jelly, or Leaf jelly , is a jelly-like dessert found in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. It is sold in cans or packets in Asian supermarkets.

Preparation

Grass jelly is made by boiling the aged and slightly oxidized stalks and leaves of Mesona chinensis^[1] (member of the mint family) with potassium carbonate for several hours with a little starch and then cooling the liquid to a jelly-like consistency^[2]. This jelly can be cut into cubes or other forms, and then mixed with syrup to produce a drink or dessert thought to have cooling (yin) properties, which makes it typically consumed during hot weather. The jelly itself has a slight bitter taste, a light iodine lavender flavor, and is a translucent black. It can also be mixed with soy milk to produce a milky white liquid with black strands in it.

Regional

China

In China, grass jelly was traditionally served with sugar syrup. Now it is often served mixed with other ingredients, such as mango, sago, watermelon, cantaloupe, and other fresh or canned fruit, and evaporated milk.

Although this dish is sometimes called liangfen in Chinese, it should not be confused with the Chinese starch jelly liangfen, which is an entirely different dish.

Indonesia

Pieces of grass jelly served on a spoon Chao kuai sold on the Sunday Walking Street market in Chiang Mai, Thailand In Indonesia, black jelly (Cincau hitam) is manufactured as an instant powder, like other instant jellies or agar. This form is easier to use. It is made from the leaves of Mesona palustris.

Two other plants used in Indonesia are Melastoma polyanthum, known as Cincau perdu, ^[3] and Cyclea barbata, known as Cincau Hijau.^[4]

Malaysia and Singapore

Plain grass jelly is mixed in various kinds of desserts, such as ice kacang and cendol. It is also mixed with soy milk to produce a milky white liquid with black strands in it, a drink known as Michael Jackson in South-East Asia.^[5]

Taiwan

In Taiwan, grass jelly is known as ?? (xian cao), and is used in various desserts and drinks. It can sometimes be added to boba drinks and shaved ice (??). It is also commonly used in a traditional Taiwanese drink, where the jelly is heated and melted to be consumed as a thick dessert beverage, with numerous toppings like tangyuan, taro balls, azuki beans, and tapioca.

Thailand

In Thailand grass jelly is known as chao kuai (; ), and is commonly served relatively plain together with ice and natural brown sugar. Additionally, it can also be served with fruits such as Jackfruit, the fruit of the toddy palm or mixed together with other Thai desserts.

Vietnam

In Vietnamese, grass jelly is s??ng sáo or th?ch s??ng sáo. Grass jelly is chopped in small cubes and served as an additional ingredient in sweet desserts made from various kinds of beans (chè). There are two common kinds of grass jelly in Vietnam which are Mesona sinensis Benth.- called s??ng sáo in Vietnamese and Tiliacora triandra called s??ng sâm in Vietnamese (as well as s??ng sa or rau câu is the name for jelly made from various kinds of algae). Grass jelly drinks are also very popular amongst Vietnamese women; they are believed to enhance fertility, this is caused by the high levels of estrogen contained in the grass's root.

References

External links

• Asian Food Glossary
• Black jelly and other kind grass jelly
• Indonesia Black jelly Instant Powder

See also

• Aiyu jelly
• Mesona
• Guilinggao
• Liangfen
• Jidou liangfen

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