Grass Jelly
Authentic Singapore Grass Jelly with Longan and Soya Beancurd
Known in Mandarin as Xiāncǎo Lóngyǎn Dòufuhuā (仙草龙眼豆腐花), which translates to 'Immortal Grass, Dragon Eye, and Soya Curd,' this refreshing dessert is a staple of Singaporean hawker centers. It features delicate, melt-in-your-mouth soya beancurd topped with cooling herbal grass jelly and sweet longan fruit in a light pandan-infused syrup.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 185 kcal
Method
Rinse the dried soya beans thoroughly and soak them in plenty of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the soaking water.
Place half the soaked beans and half of the 2.1 liters of water into a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. Repeat with the remaining beans and water.
Pour the blended mixture into a large muslin bag or a very fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze firmly to extract all the soya milk into a large pot, leaving the dry pulp (okara) behind.
Add the knotted pandan leaves to the pot. Bring the soya milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom from scorching. Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam from the surface.
While the milk simmers, prepare the coagulant in a deep, heat-proof ceramic or stainless steel pot. Mix the gypsum, cornstarch, and 100ml of cool water until smooth. Stir this slurry again immediately before the next step to ensure nothing has settled.
Once the soya milk is ready, remove the pandan leaves. Raise the pot of hot milk about 30cm above the pot containing the coagulant slurry. Pour the milk in a steady, swift stream into the slurry. The force of the pour will mix the ingredients naturally—do not stir the mixture once poured.
Immediately skim off any bubbles on the surface with a spoon. Cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel and then the lid (the towel prevents condensation from dripping onto the curd). Let it sit undisturbed for 30 to 45 minutes until firmly set.
To serve, use a shallow metal spoon to scoop thin layers of the warm beancurd into bowls. Top with cubed grass jelly, several longans, and a drizzle of the longan syrup from the can. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
The 1:7 bean-to-water ratio is the secret to a rich, silky texture that isn't too watery.
Always use food-grade gypsum (calcium sulfate) from a Chinese medicinal hall; it provides a much more traditional texture than gelatin.
Do not move or bump the pot once the milk has been poured into the coagulant, or the curd will break and fail to set.
If you prefer a sweeter dessert, boil the canned longan syrup with an extra piece of rock sugar and pandan leaves before cooling and adding to the bowl.
Questions
Can I use store-bought soya milk?
What is the difference between gypsum and GDL?
How long does the beancurd stay fresh?
Is grass jelly made from real grass?
Another version of this dish, written for a home kitchen outside Singapore: Grass Jelly with Longan Syrup on Recipe.net.
