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Es cincau
Grass jelly drink
Es cincau hitam: dark grass jelly in coconut milk and palm-sugar syrup over ice
Glasses of es cincau are handed out at Ramadan iftar tables across Java and sold from roadside carts all year on hot afternoons. Cubes of black grass jelly, with its slightly bitter, herbal taste, sit in pale coconut milk and dark palm-sugar syrup over crushed ice, and the contrast is the whole joy of it. Ready-made grass jelly in tins is fine; this recipe sets your own from grass jelly powder. Chef's tip: let the jelly set fully and cold before cutting; cut warm, it tears and melts into the drink.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the jelly
- 1 ¾ oz black grass jelly powderor 1 tin (540 g) ready-made grass jelly
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 litre water
To serve
- 3 ½ oz palm sugarchopped
- ½ cup water
- 1 pandan leafknotted
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 14 oz crushed ice
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 1 ¾ oz black grass jelly powder and 2 tbsp sugar into 1 litre water in a pan until smooth, then bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, and boil for 1 minute until slightly thickened.
6 minStep 2: Pour into a shallow dish and leave to cool, then chill until firm and glossy black.
120 minStep 3: Simmer 3 ½ oz palm sugar, ½ cup water and 1 pandan leaf until the sugar melts into a syrup. Cool and strain.
5 minStep 4: Stir 1 pinch salt into 1 ¼ cups coconut milk.
Step 5: Cut the jelly into 2 cm cubes and divide between four glasses. Add 14 oz crushed ice, pour over the palm-sugar syrup and top with the coconut milk. Serve with spoons and straws.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does es cincau 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of palm sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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