← Nouns Cooking · Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 500 ml Water
• 2 tsp Agar agar powder
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Pandan extract
• 225 g tinned water chestnuts, drained and diced small
• a few drops of red food colouring
• 4 tbsp Tapioca starch
• 1 can tin lychees in syrup (about 565 g)
• 1 can tin longans in syrup (about 565 g)
• 1 can tin ripe jackfruit in syrup (about 565 g), cut into strips
• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 400 g crushed ice

Method

1. Whisk the agar powder and sugar into the water in a small pan, bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring, until dissolved. Stir in the pandan extract, pour into a small tray and chill for 1 hour until set. Cut into small cubes.
2. Toss the water chestnuts with a few drops of colouring until evenly red, then toss with the tapioca starch until each piece is coated. Shake off the excess.
3. Drop them into a pan of boiling water and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until they float and the coating turns clear. Lift into cold water.
4. Drain the tinned fruit, keeping 100 ml of the syrup. Stir the coconut milk, condensed milk and reserved syrup together.
5. Layer the fruit, jelly and drained water chestnuts in glasses, add plenty of crushed ice and pour over the coconut mixture. Serve with long spoons.

Tips

• For a vegan version, swap the condensed milk for sweetened condensed coconut milk or 2 tbsp sugar.
• Durian is the controversial classic addition; a spoonful of the flesh stirred in makes it authentically Saigon.

Sources

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

Hungry Huy Vicky Pham Helen’s Recipes