Grass jelly
Grass jelly, also known as leaf jelly or herbal jelly, is a jelly-like dessert originating in China. It is commonly consumed in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is created by using Chinese mesona and has a mild, slightly bitter taste. Grass jelly was invented by the Hakka people who historically used the food to alleviate heat stroke after long days working in the field. The dish was introduced to Southeast Asia by the Chinese diaspora. It is served chilled, with other toppings, such as fruit, or in bubble tea or other drinks. Outside Asia, it is sold in Asian supermarkets.
Nutritional value
Grass jelly has 8.2 calories per serving of 20g, containing 1.3g of carbohydrates, 0.8g of protein, 2.2mg of sodium, and 4.8mg of potassium.Preparation
Grass jelly is made by boiling the aged and slightly oxidized stalks and leaves of Platostoma palustre with potassium carbonate and a little starch for several hours. The liquid cools to a jelly-like consistency, and this jelly can be cut into cubes or other shapes. The jelly is then mixed with syrup to produce a drink or dessert thought to have cooling properties, suitable for hot weather. The jelly itself is fragrant with a smoky undertone and is a translucent dark brown or black. Food coloring may sometimes be added to make it darker.Preparation of other variants, known as green grass jelly, requires no cooking or heating process and uses only a mixture of leaf extracts and water. Jelly produced in this way has been described as having a leafy, neutral flavor.
Regional
Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau
In China, grass jelly is considered a signature dish of the Hakka people.The name 仙草粿 may be used for its specificity, and it translates closely to "grass jelly" in English. Although the dish is known by multiple regional names. It is sometimes called liangfen in Chinese, particularly in Cantonese speaking regions, but it should not be confused with the Chinese starch jelly liangfen, which is an entirely different dish.
In Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, 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 condensed or evaporated milk.
Taiwan
In Taiwan, grass jelly is known as 仙草, and is used in various desserts and drinks. It can sometimes be added to boba drinks and shaved ice. It is also commonly used in a traditional Taiwanese dessert where the jelly is melted to be consumed as a thick pudding-like dessert, with numerous toppings like tangyuan, taro balls, azuki beans, and tapioca. The plant is also made into mesona tea.Indonesia
Grass jelly is known as cincau in Indonesian, which is derived from the Amoy Hokkien word 清草. It is also known as camcao, juju, janggelan, or kepleng in Javanese, camcauh in Sundanese, and daluman in Bali. Black jelly 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 Platostoma palustre.There are other plants that were used in Indonesia to make grass jelly. They are Melastoma polyanthum, known as cincau perdu, and Cyclea barbata, known as cincau hijau or green grass jelly, and Cocculus orbiculatus or known as cincau Cina or Chinese green grass jelly. Some plants from genus Stephania such as Stephania hernandifolia and Stephania capitata are also used as substitutes to create green grass jelly called cincau minyak or oily grass jelly.
Usually, the process of making Indonesian green grass jelly does not require a cooking or heating process. Mixing leaf extract and water with the addition of a period of waiting time for coagulation at mild room temperature is enough.
Indonesian green grass jelly has a distinct flavor compared to black grass jelly. It is absent of smoky flavor, almost no bitter taste, and has a mild leafy flavor. Due to its plain neutral flavor, it is usually consumed with sugar water, syrup, coconut milk, and ice.
Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei
Plain grass jelly is mixed in various kinds of desserts, such as ais kacang and cendol. It is also mixed with cold soy milk and served as a refreshing drink/dessert, a drink known as Michael Jackson in South-East Asia.Various combinations of grass jelly with rose flavoured syrup added to milk are called "bandung cincau" or "bancau" for short. There is also shaved ice with grass jelly toppings. It can be green or brown.