Cendol (Shaved Ice with Green Rice Jelly, Coconut Milk and Palm Sugar)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Rice flour — 100 g (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
- Tapioca starch — 20 g (2 tbsp)
- Water, divided — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Pandan leaves, blended with a little water and strained for juice (or a few drops pandan extract) — 4
- Drops Green food colouring, optional (for vibrant colour) — a few
- Coconut milk — 400 ml (1 2/3 cups)
- Salt — 1 pinch
- Palm sugar (gula melaka), chopped — 150 g (3/4 cup)
- Water, for syrup — 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup)
- Shaved or crushed ice, for serving — about 4 cups
- Cooked red beans, optional — 100 g (1/2 cup)
Method
- In a saucepan, whisk the rice flour and tapioca starch with 150 ml of the water to form a smooth slurry.
- Add the pandan juice and the remaining water, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a smooth, glossy, translucent green batter, about 6–8 minutes. Add green food colouring if a more vibrant hue is desired.
- While still hot, press the batter through a cendol press or a colander with small round holes directly into a large bowl of iced water, forming short, worm-like strands. Let the strands firm up in the cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- For the syrup, combine the chopped palm sugar and the 100 ml water in a small saucepan and simmer for 5–7 minutes until dissolved and slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
- In another small saucepan, warm the coconut milk with a pinch of salt just until heated through (do not boil); set aside to cool slightly.
- To serve, fill glasses with shaved ice, add a generous spoonful of cendol strands and red beans, if using, then pour over the coconut milk and drizzle generously with palm sugar syrup.
- Serve immediately with a spoon and straw, stirring to combine before eating.
Introduction: A cooling dessert of fine shaved ice, chewy green pandan-flavoured rice flour jelly, rich coconut milk and dark palm sugar syrup, often finished with a scoop of red beans.
Cultural Background: Cendol is one of the most iconic hot-weather desserts across Malaysia, especially popular in Penang and Malacca, where dedicated cendol stalls are a fixture of local food culture. Its combination of icy cold, creamy coconut and deeply caramel-like palm sugar makes it a beloved treat for cooling down in Malaysia’s tropical climate.
Tips: Work quickly while the batter is still hot when pressing it into strands, as it firms up and becomes difficult to press once cooled. Chill the coconut milk and syrup separately in advance so the dessert is properly cold when assembled. If a cendol press is unavailable, a colander with roughly 3–4 mm holes works as a good substitute.
Variations: Add cubes of jackfruit or attap chee (palm seed) for extra texture and sweetness. Use coconut cream for an extra-rich version. Add a scoop of sweet corn for a Malaysian-style variation popular at some stalls.
Storage: Store cendol strands submerged in water in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; store syrup and coconut milk separately in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: This is a cold dessert and is not reheated; components are stored chilled and assembled fresh when served.
Nutrition: Approx. per serving: 320 kcal, 4 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat, 2 g fibre.
FAQs:
Q: What if I can’t find a cendol press?
A: A colander or sieve with small, round holes (about 3–4 mm) works well as a substitute for pressing the hot batter into strands.
Q: Can I use regular brown sugar instead of palm sugar?
A: Palm sugar gives cendol its distinctive deep, caramel-like flavour; brown sugar can be used in a pinch, though the taste will be noticeably different.
Q: Is cendol vegan?
A: Yes, as written (without the optional red bean topping, which is naturally vegan too) it contains no animal products.
- Rice flour — 100 g (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
- Tapioca starch — 20 g (2 tbsp)
- Water, divided — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Pandan leaves, blended with a little water and strained for juice (or a few drops pandan extract) — 4
- Drops Green food colouring, optional (for vibrant colour) — a few
- Coconut milk — 400 ml (1 2/3 cups)
- Salt — 1 pinch
- Palm sugar (gula melaka), chopped — 150 g (3/4 cup)
- Water, for syrup — 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup)
- Shaved or crushed ice, for serving — about 4 cups
- Cooked red beans, optional — 100 g (1/2 cup)
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