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Nam bai toey (pandan drink)

น้ำใบเตย · fresh pandan leaves blended into a fragrant green cooler

Every Thai garden seems to have a clump of pandan by the tap, and on hot days cooks across the country blitz a handful of leaves into this bright green drink sold at temple fairs and noodle shops. It tastes sweet, grassy and faintly of vanilla and basmati, and is said to cool the body. Fresh leaves give the best colour; frozen ones from Asian shops work well too. Chef's tip: the mistake is serving it unstrained or leaving it for hours; strain it twice through cloth and drink it the same day, as it fades and turns grey.
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
5
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Ingredients

Serves5
  • 15 pandan leaveswashed, cut into 2 cm pieces
  • 5 cups watercold
  • 3 ⅛ oz sugar
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 14 oz ice cubes

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What you'll need

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Stir 3 ⅛ oz sugar and 1 pinch salt into ½ cup hot water until dissolved to make a quick syrup. Cool.

    5 min
  2. Step 2: Blend 15 pandan leaves with half of 2 ½ cups water on high until the leaves are a fine green pulp, about 1 minute.

    2 min
  3. Step 3: Strain through a fine cloth, squeezing hard, then add the rest of 2 ½ cups water and strain once more so it is smooth.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Sweeten with the syrup to taste and serve over 14 oz ice cubes straight away.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
70 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbs
18 g
Fat
0 g
Fibre
0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does nam bai toey (pandan drink) take?
About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
5 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.

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Perfect for:Summer coolers

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