Es Cendol Coconut Pandan Dessert Drink
A beloved Indonesian iced dessert drink featuring chewy pandan-green rice jelly noodles in sweetened coconut milk drizzled with palm sugar syrup. Plan ahead: the cendol noodles need 30 minutes to set.
Ingredients
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 4 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tsp pandan extract (or 1 tsp vanilla with a few drops green food coloring)
- 1 1/2 cups water (for noodle dough)
- 8 oz palm sugar (or dark brown sugar), roughly chopped
- 1 cup water (for syrup)
- 2 leaves pandan leaf (or 1/4 tsp pandan extract), knotted
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (for serving)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cups crushed ice
Instructions
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1
Make the palm sugar syrup: combine 8 oz roughly chopped palm sugar (or dark brown sugar) and 1 cup water (for syrup) with 2 leaves knotted pandan leaf (or 1/4 tsp pandan extract) in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves completely, about 8 minutes. Remove pandan leaf, strain, and let cool.
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2
Make the cendol noodles: whisk 1/2 cup rice flour, 4 tbsp tapioca starch, 1 tsp pandan extract (or 1 tsp vanilla with a few drops green food coloring), and a pinch of 1/2 tsp salt into 1 1/2 cups water (for noodle dough) until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a stretchy, translucent paste, about 6-8 minutes.
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3
While still hot, press the cendol paste through a colander or cendol mold with small round holes directly over a bowl of ice water. The strands will set into short noodles as they hit the cold water. Let them sit in the ice water for 5 minutes, then drain.
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4
Warm the 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz) in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt until just simmered. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
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5
To serve, divide 4 cups crushed ice among tall glasses. Add a generous portion of cendol noodles, pour chilled 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (for serving) over, then drizzle palm sugar syrup to taste.