Grass jelly

Not to be confused with Mung bean starch jelly.

Grass jelly
Pieces of grass jelly cut into approximately 1cm cubes
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	仙草
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin xiān cǎo Min - Hokkien POJ sian-chháu Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping sin1 cou2 - Yale Romanization sin1 chou2
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	涼粉
Simplified Chinese	凉粉
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin liáng fěn Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping loeng4 fan2 - Yale Romanization leung4 fan2
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese	sương sáo
Indonesian name
Indonesian	cincau

Grass jelly, or Leaf jelly, is a jelly-like dessert found in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. It is sold in cans or packets in Asian supermarkets.

Preparation

Grass jelly is made by boiling the aged and slightly oxidized stalks and leaves of Mesona chinensis^[1][2] (member of the mint family) with potassium carbonate for several hours with a little starch and then cooling the liquid to a jelly-like consistency.^[1][3] This jelly can be cut into cubes or other forms, and then mixed with syrup to produce a drink or dessert thought to have cooling (yin) properties, which makes it typically consumed during hot weather. The jelly itself has a slight bitter taste, a light iodine lavender flavor, and is a translucent black. It can also be mixed with soy milk to produce a milky white liquid with black strands in it.

Regional

China

In China, grass jelly was traditionally served with sugar syrup. Now it is often served mixed with other ingredients, such as mango, sago, watermelon, cantaloupe, and other fresh or canned fruit, and evaporated milk.

Although this dish is sometimes called liangfen in Chinese, it should not be confused with the Chinese starch jelly liangfen, which is an entirely different dish.

Indonesia

Green grass jelly

Chao kuai sold on the Sunday Walking Street market in Chiang Mai, Thailand

In Indonesia, black jelly (Cincau hitam) is manufactured as an instant powder, like other instant jellies or agar. This form is easier to use. It is made from the leaves of Mesona palustris.

Two other plants used in Indonesia are Melastoma polyanthum, known as Cincau perdu,^[4] and Cyclea barbata, known as Cincau Hijau or green grass jelly.^[5]

Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei

Plain grass jelly is mixed in various kinds of desserts, such as ice kacang and cendol. It is also mixed with soy milk to produce a milky white liquid with black strands in it, a drink known as Michael Jackson in South-East Asia (a humorous reference to Michael Jackson's changing skin color and/or the song "Black or White").^[6]

Taiwan

In Taiwan, grass jelly is known as 仙草 (xian cao), and is used in various desserts and drinks. It can sometimes be added to boba drinks and shaved ice (雪冰). It is also commonly used in a traditional Taiwanese drink, where the jelly is heated and melted to be consumed as a thick dessert beverage (仙草茶, literally Grass Jelly Tea), with numerous toppings like tangyuan, taro balls, azuki beans, and tapioca.

Thailand

In Thailand, grass jelly is known as chao kuai (Thai: เฉาก๊วย [tɕʰâw kwɛ̌j],^{[dubious – discuss]}) and is commonly served relatively plain together with ice and natural brown sugar. Additionally, it can also be served with fruits such as jackfruit, the fruit of the toddy palm or mixed together with other Thai desserts.

Vietnam

In the Vietnamese language, grass jelly is sương sáo or thạch sương sáo. Grass jelly is chopped in small cubes and served as an additional ingredient in sweet desserts made from various kinds of beans (chè). There are two common kinds of grass jelly in Vietnam which are Mesona sinensis Benth.- called sương sáo in Vietnamese and Tiliacora triandra called sương sâm in Vietnamese (as well as sương sa or rau câu is the name for jelly made from various kinds of algae).

See also

• Aiyu jelly
• Mesona
• Guilinggao
• Liangfen
• Jidou liangfen

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "仙草". 台北市內雙溪森林藥用植物園編輯組. http://www.herb.nat.gov.tw/b2b_cpinfo06.asp?id=892.  "本品加水與少許鹹共同煎汁，添加少許澱粉漿可製成仙草凍，是夏天常吃的清涼飲品"
2. ^ Armstrong, Wayne P., Grass Jelly (Mesona chinensis), http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph37.htm, retrieved 2008-05-19 
3. ^ Bush, Austin, Inside the greenhouse, http://www.austinbushphotography.com/2006/06/inside-greenhouse.html, retrieved 2008-05-19 
4. ^ www.unimainz.de
5. ^ www.iptek.net.id
6. ^ unclelimscafe.com