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.
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.
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!
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!
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
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
- Washed and roughly cut pandan leaves.
- Place leaves in blender. Add water.
- Blend for a minute or two.
- 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).
- Combine pandan juice, green food colouring with green pea flour.
- Mix well.
- Cook over medium heat until the mixture thicken and turn translucent.
- Keep on stirring
- Prepare ice bath (bowl or pot) by filling up the bowl with some cold water and ice.
- Set a steamer over the ice bath (note: I use steamer with smaller holes or use cendul mould if you have one).
- Transfer the green translucent mass over onto the strainer.
- Use a flat base utensils, push down the mass into the cold bath.
- Leave it for 1 hour then drain away the water.
- Refrigerate.
- 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.
- 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?
Divine! I love pandan desserts.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Thank you Rosa :D
Deleteish... silap pi bukak your blog depan my hubby... now dia nak chendoi had lagu Lisa Lemony Kitchen!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
alahai…kesian che Muna :P
DeleteTak pa… chenta sayang punya pasai, bisa di aturkan?
:D (terghenyih menampakkan gigi yang besaq gajah ni ;P)
I have never had a cendol...it sure looks very refreshing and yum!
ReplyDeleteIts good on summer days :D
DeleteI love love love cendol! Simple cendol is my favourite!
ReplyDeleteYay… :D
DeleteOh....I would love to have this everyday in this hot hot weather here.
ReplyDeleteHi Mel… the Little Penang (I think) in MidValley has the nicest delicious yumyum chendol ever :D
DeleteEWWWWW apa ni got cacing?? Yukkk...cacing betul kah or cacing pandan? aiyo but I like chendol... must check next time balik kampung..
ReplyDeleteLOL… must bust this myth, I was told by lo'kong that they put cacing in the santan…eeewww if its true :(
DeleteI love this kind of dessert Lisa...so refreshing!
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a wonderful week :D