Ais Kacang (Shaved Ice with Red Beans, Sweet Corn and Syrups)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Shaved or finely crushed ice — about 6 cups
- Cooked red beans — 150 g (3/4 cup)
- Sweet corn kernels, cooked — 100 g (2/3 cup)
- Grass jelly, cubed — 100 g (1/2 cup)
- Attap chee (palm seed) or grass jelly cubes, optional — 60 g (2.1 oz)
- Rose syrup — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Palm sugar (gula melaka) syrup — 45 ml (3 tbsp)
- Evaporated milk — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Sweetened condensed milk, optional, for extra sweetness — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
Method
- Have the red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly and attap chee, if using, ready and chilled.
- Shave or finely crush the ice using an ice shaver or by pulsing ice cubes in a blender until fine and fluffy.
- Mound the shaved ice into individual serving bowls, building it up into a small peak.
- Arrange spoonfuls of red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly and attap chee around and on top of the ice.
- Drizzle generously with rose syrup and palm sugar syrup, then finish with a pour of evaporated milk and, if using, a little condensed milk.
- Serve immediately with a long spoon, mixing everything together as you eat.
Introduction: Also known as ABC (air batu campur, meaning ‘mixed ice’), this colourful dessert piles shaved ice high with red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly and vibrant syrups, finished with a drizzle of evaporated milk.
Cultural Background: Ais kacang reflects the layered, multicultural nature of Malaysian desserts, combining Chinese-style shaved ice technique with local ingredients like red beans and palm sugar syrup. Once a simple roadside treat of ice and red beans, it has evolved into an elaborate, colourful dessert piled with an ever-growing variety of toppings.
Tips: The finer and fluffier the shaved ice, the more authentic and pleasant the texture — a proper ice shaver gives the best result if available. Prepare all toppings and chill them in advance so the ice doesn’t melt too quickly during assembly. Layer the syrups at the end so their vivid colours remain visible rather than sinking immediately into the ice.
Variations: Add cubes of fresh fruit such as lychee or mango for extra freshness. Include a scoop of vanilla or durian ice cream on top for a more indulgent version, a popular modern addition. Adjust the ratio of rose to palm sugar syrup according to preferred sweetness and colour balance.
Storage: Toppings such as red beans, corn and grass jelly can be stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; ice should always be shaved fresh just before serving.
Reheating: This is a cold dessert and is not reheated.
Nutrition: Approx. per serving: 280 kcal, 5 g protein, 58 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 3 g fibre.
FAQs:
Q: What is attap chee?
A: Attap chee is the soft, translucent seed of the attap palm, often used as a chewy, mildly sweet topping in Malaysian desserts like ais kacang.
Q: Can I make this without an ice shaver?
A: Yes, pulse regular ice cubes in a blender or food processor in short bursts until finely crushed, though a proper shaver gives a fluffier texture.
Q: Is ais kacang vegan?
A: Not as written, due to the evaporated and condensed milk; both can be substituted with a plant-based condensed milk alternative for a vegan version.
- Shaved or finely crushed ice — about 6 cups
- Cooked red beans — 150 g (3/4 cup)
- Sweet corn kernels, cooked — 100 g (2/3 cup)
- Grass jelly, cubed — 100 g (1/2 cup)
- Attap chee (palm seed) or grass jelly cubes, optional — 60 g (2.1 oz)
- Rose syrup — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Palm sugar (gula melaka) syrup — 45 ml (3 tbsp)
- Evaporated milk — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Sweetened condensed milk, optional, for extra sweetness — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
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