Grass jelly drinks like this one are popular in Hong Kong–style cafés, where they might also be referred to as leung fan bing (literally “grass jelly ice” in Cantonese). Grass jelly (leung fan or liang fen) is made from a Chinese plant closely related to mint. With a distinct herbal flavor and slight bitterness, it’s typically paired with sweet ingredients, particularly sugar syrups or fruits. This version mixes cubes of it with a brown sugar syrup, soymilk and ice for a refreshing and slightly creamy drink that mimics boba milk teas. Pandan leaf (found in the frozen aisle of Asian supermarkets) is infused into our syrup for added flavor. We tested the same recipe with cold water as a substitute for soymilk and found it fresh and cooling, similar to iced tea, so feel free to try that version as well.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 pandan leaf, tied into a knot
- 2 cups (about one 19-ounce can) grass jelly (see Cook’s Note)
- 4 cups unsweetened soymilk or cold water, or to taste
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Bring the brown sugar, pandan leaf and 1/2 cup cold water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the syrup thickens and large bubbles form on top of the hot syrup, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Cut the grass jelly into 1/4-inch cubes and divide it evenly among four tall 18-ounce glasses. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar syrup to each glass and gently mix with a small rubber spatula. Add 1 cup soymilk and 1/2 cup ice cubes to each glass. Stir with a boba straw and taste. Add more sugar syrup or soymilk to balance the flavors if needed. Any remaining syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.