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Aiyu jelly with lemon
Aiyu fig jelly with lemon
Àiyù (愛玉): trembling jelly washed from aiyu fig seeds, served with lemon, honey syrup and ice
Squeezing a little cloth bag of seeds in a bowl of water until it turns into jelly sounds like a magic trick, yet that's how aiyu has been made for well over a century in Chiayi, at the foot of the Alishan hills where the climbing fig grows wild. The pectin in the dried seeds sets the water into a soft, glassy, pale-gold jelly with almost no taste of its own, so it's cut into cubes and served icy cold with tart lemon juice and honey syrup, the most refreshing thing on a sticky Taipei summer afternoon. The classic failure is a bowl that won't set, usually because the bowl was oily or the water was distilled or very soft; it needs ordinary tap or mineral water. Chef's tip: rub the bag steadily for 8–10 minutes and stop as soon as it feels slippery and nothing more comes out, or the jelly turns cloudy and bitter.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the jelly
- ⅔ oz dried aiyu seeds
- 1 litre cooled boiled tap water or mineral waternot distilled
To serve
- 10 ½ oz ice cubes
- 4 thin lemon slices (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash a large bowl and your hands with washing-up liquid and rinse well; any trace of oil stops the jelly setting. Pour in 1 litre cooled boiled tap water or mineral water.
Step 2: Put ⅔ oz dried aiyu seeds into a fine muslin or cotton bag and tie it tightly, leaving the seeds room to move.
Step 3: Submerge the bag and squeeze and rub it steadily in the water for 8–10 minutes. The water turns pale yellow and slippery, with fine bubbles on top. Stop when the bag no longer releases any more slime.
10 minStep 4: Skim off the foam with a spoon and leave the bowl undisturbed at room temperature for 20 minutes, until set into a soft jelly that wobbles when you tilt the bowl. Don't stir or move it while it sets.
20 minStep 6: Cut the jelly into cubes in the bowl with a spoon. Divide between glasses with 10 ½ oz ice cubes, pour over the honey lemon syrup and add 4 thin lemon slices. Serve with a wide straw or spoon. It keeps for a day in the fridge but slowly weeps water.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aiyu jelly with lemon take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemons?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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