I know, I know. You have said goodbyes to the flip-flops and have now welcomed the autumnal glow with the warm cuppa instead of icy cold drinks. But believe you me, this cooling jelly will make the seasonal transition much easier, and who knows, after the first try, you’d rather have this jelly on any time, any day, even on cold, wintry days.
Well, I am not a Thai food connoisseur but I have always been on a hunt for a good Thai food, and always ended up disappointed with the dessert selections offered in the Thai restaurants that I have been in the UK. Either they are sickeningly sweet, or infused with basil, kaffir lime leaves or even lemongrass; herbs that I’d rather not have in my desserts. I almost gave up on my search for a good Thai dessert until this dessert comes along, no, not from Thailand but from my own mother’s kitchen! During my short trip home, she presented me with a tray of colourful tidbits, cookies and this jelly. The latter caught my eye, apparently the à-la-mode Thai dessert, with its translucent beauty, topped up with snowy coconut flesh. 
My mother raved on about the use of agar-agar instead of gelatine in this jelly. Agar-agar is a calorie-free, seaweed derivative with 80% fibre, famously known for its health benefits on the digestive tracts. Somehow, I was more engrossed in slurping away the delicious jelly that my brain did not even register about the jelly’s health benefits until much, much later. After much coaxing and cajoling, I managed to get the recipe from my mom and recreated the recipe to my own sweetness level, or rather, modified it based on availability of ingredients in my own local market. As I think it will be impossible to find Pandan (screw pine) leaves in the UK, I used pandan paste instead. You could also prepare this jelly without the pandan, but use some coloured agar-agar instead.
So here’s the recipe for the gorgeous Coconut Pandan Jelly, hope you do enjoy this refreshing treat.
Coconut Pandan Jelly Delight
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 1x
Description
This Coconut Pandan Jelly is a refreshing and translucent dessert, topped with snowy coconut flesh, perfect for a summer treat or any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 10g agar-agar powder
- 1100 ml water
- 1100 ml coconut water
- 1 tsp pandan paste (green in colour)
- 180g granulated sugar
- 1 cup young coconut flesh, chopped
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, pour the agar-agar powder and water. Mix well and let the agar-agar dissolve completely in the water.
- Once the agar-agar has dissolved, add the granulated sugar, pandan paste, and a pinch of salt to the pan.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Add the coconut water to the pan and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, ensuring everything is well combined.
- Remove the pan from heat and gently stir in the chopped young coconut flesh.
- Pour the mixture into a mold or a tray and let it cool at room temperature until it sets.
- Once set, refrigerate the jelly for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Cut into desired shapes and serve chilled.
Notes
Agar-agar is a calorie-free, seaweed derivative with health benefits for the digestive tract. If pandan leaves are unavailable, pandan paste is a suitable substitute. You can also make this jelly without pandan by using colored agar-agar. Store the jelly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
A friend brought me a little bottle of pandan flavouring not long ago and I’ve been on the look out for ways to use it. I think I’ll give this a try – it sounds lovely!
Do give this a try, I’m sure you’ll love it, and let me know how it goes:-)
what an interesting recipe!
Thanx Tamara:-)