Cendol - Malaysian Cold dessert

March 28, 2014
Cendol (closest pronunciation would be to pronounce it as chain doll- one of the most loved cold desserts in Malaysia. 

Its simple, nothing but dark brown syrup and coconut milk are the 2 'Star' ingredients, oh, not to forget those little squiggly  green 'worms' too.

Cendul - Malaysian Cold Dessert


This takes me back to my school days… 

I was given 20 cents as pocket money to school everyday. It was not much but enough to get me through the day, to buy a small plate of noodle or a packet of nasi lemak (coconut rice served with sambal) for 10 cents, drink for 5 cents and tidbits for another 5 cents. 

Most of the days, my 20 cents would be gone by recess. But there were days that I would saved up for this treat.  For 10 cents a pop, I'd be slurping the creamy coconut drink laden with lots of brown sugar syrup with barely there green cendol. 

It was a satisfying thirst quencher.

Cendul - Malaysian Cold Dessert

Then…. I grew up, had a job and I have my own money to spend. My work took me to places that tourists will not venture; rubber estates, oil palm estates, paddy fields, secondary jungles, high terrains, down the valleys and to little nook and cranny of places where locals hang out.

Guess What? ...

I get to enjoy lots of cendol! yippeee
Some places serve their cendol with glutinous rice, some serve with red beans, and some even serve cendol with durian…. but I still prefer mine, simple!


Cendul  Malaysian Cold Dessert


Cendol - Malaysian Cold Dessert
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Short green 'noodle' or Cendol
40g pandan / screwpine leaves (frozen leaves were used)
2 cups of water
70g green pea flour (hoen kwee flour)
green food colouring (optional)

Dark brown syrup
2 cups of dark brown sugar
3 pandan leaves (knotted)
1 cup water

1 canned coconut milk -refrigerate
crushed ice
  1. Washed and roughly cut pandan leaves. 
  2. Place leaves in blender. Add water. 
  3. Blend for a minute or two. 
  4. Strain into bowl and squeeze out as much pandan juice as much as you can and strain again through finer sieve (I use a tea strainer for the second strain or use muslin cloth)
  5. Combine pandan juice, green food colouring with green pea flour. 
  6. Mix well. 
  7. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thicken and turn translucent. 
  8. Keep on stirring 
  9. Prepare ice bath (bowl or pot) by filling up the bowl with some cold water and ice. 
  10. Set a steamer over the ice bath (note: I use steamer with smaller holes or use cendul mould if you have one)
  11. Transfer the green translucent mass over onto the strainer. 
  12. Use a flat base utensils, push down the mass into the cold bath. 
  13. Leave it for 1 hour then drain away the water. 
  14. Refrigerate.
  15. Making syrup : Place dark brown sugar, knotted pandan leaves, water in a medium size pot. Bring to boil then simmer until the sugar mixture has slightly thicken. Leave it to cool.
  16. Serve : spoon and divide cendol into glasses or bowls, add cold coconut milk, shaved iced and top with dark brown syrup.
Question to those in the "know" ~ is it true that Cendul vendors add cacing to their coconut milk container to avoid the coconut milk from going bad in Malaysian climate?

Comments

  1. Divine! I love pandan desserts.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. ish... silap pi bukak your blog depan my hubby... now dia nak chendoi had lagu Lisa Lemony Kitchen!!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. alahai…kesian che Muna :P
      Tak pa… chenta sayang punya pasai, bisa di aturkan?
      :D (terghenyih menampakkan gigi yang besaq gajah ni ;P)

      Delete
  3. I have never had a cendol...it sure looks very refreshing and yum!

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  4. I love love love cendol! Simple cendol is my favourite!

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  5. Oh....I would love to have this everyday in this hot hot weather here.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mel… the Little Penang (I think) in MidValley has the nicest delicious yumyum chendol ever :D

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  6. EWWWWW apa ni got cacing?? Yukkk...cacing betul kah or cacing pandan? aiyo but I like chendol... must check next time balik kampung..

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    Replies
    1. LOL… must bust this myth, I was told by lo'kong that they put cacing in the santan…eeewww if its true :(

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  7. I love this kind of dessert Lisa...so refreshing!
    Hope you are having a wonderful week :D

    ReplyDelete