← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 5 g katira (tragacanth gum) crystals
• 1 tbsp Sweet basil seeds (sabja / tukmaria)
• 600 ml water, for soaking
• 3 Pandan leaves, knotted
• 80 g Sugar, or to taste
• 300 ml water, for the syrup
• 400 ml evaporated milk (or fresh milk)
• 2 tbsp Rose syrup (sirap ros) (optional)
• 6 Dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 tbsp Almonds, chopped (optional)
• Ice

Method

1. Soak the katira in 500 ml of the soaking water for at least 6 hours or overnight until it swells into soft, clear jelly. Soak the basil seeds in the remaining 100 ml for 10 min.
2. Simmer the syrup water, sugar and pandan for 5–10 min, then strain and cool.
3. Drain the katira and break any large pieces into small bits.
4. In a large jug, mix the pandan syrup, evaporated milk and rose syrup, then stir in the katira, basil seeds, dates and almonds.
5. Chill well and serve over ice.

Tips

• Look for katira at Indian or Middle Eastern grocers (sold as gond katira); a little swells enormously.
• Contains milk and, if added, almonds.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

HealthHub Singapore Recipes Are Simple SG101