Hello Foodies!
Cendol version number 2 is here! I’ve been testing a few cendol recipe lately and this cendol recipe has become my go to recipe now since it’s easy and super fast to make. The ingredients are also very easy to access for those who are a little more new to cendol making. The results of this updated cendol recipe is also beautiful. The cendol comes out strong in texture and also has beautiful tails. So I hope you can give this one a try and have some success. Best of luck and happy cooking!
Cendols are a worm like looking starch strands that is commonly used in Southeast Asian dessert paired with a sweetened coconut milk. It is made from either rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or mung bean starch. In our version, we will only be using mung bean starch and rice starch. Cendol is also known as Lod Chong or Khao Lod Chong.
Main Ingredients
This version contains fresh pandan leaves, salt, sugar, rice flour, mung bean starch, water, and a little pandan extract.
Mung bean starch can be found at most Asian grocery store, ONLINE, and most Korean market also sells them. Any brand will work.
Blending fresh cut up Pandan leaves with water to make Pandan water
WHAT IF I CAN’T FIND FRESH PANDAN LEAVES? I suggest starting with 2 tsp of pandan extract/flavoring and work your way up to 1 Tbsp. You can more or less if you notice it’s too strong or not strong enough in terms of taste and color.
Pandan water
THE CENDOL PRESS
Where to get one? Check your local Thai or Lao grocery store. You can also purchase one online. Type in Cendol press or a Lod Chong press to find one 🙂
Make sure to place the cendol press over iced water and have it ready for when the batter is ready. Ice water will help cool down the cendol faster and prevent it from sticking to each other. Cooking the batter
Cook the batter until it becomes translucent in color. The consistency should have a nice tail hanging when you scoop out a little.
Put through the cendol press and watch it fall
WOWZA! Here they are!
Looks weird? Yeah it might be to those who has never had it before. Cendol is so much fun to watch and make. Hope you all enjoy!
Keep in water so they don’t stick. You can also make this a day ahead, put it in the fridge and serve the next day.
Happy Cooking!
Ingredients
- 10 whole Pandan leaves (rinsed and cut into small pieces) (120 grams)
- 6.5 cups water
- 1 cup mung bean starch (146 grams)
- 1/2 cup rice flour (72 grams)
- 2 Tbsp sugar (36 grams)
- 1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)
- 1 tsp Pandan extract/flavoring (4 grams) more or less depending on the color you want
- Bucket of ice water
- Cendol or Lod Chong Press
Instructions
- In a blender, add in the chopped up Pandan leaves and water. Blend until the Pandan leaves are well blended. Strain over a bowl and squeeze out any excess liquid from the pandan leaves. Then discard the unwanted Pandan leaves. You now have pandan water. There should be a total of 6.5 cups of pandan water.
- In a pot, add in the mung bean starch, rice flour, sugar, salt, and the pandan water. Mix and then add in the pandan extract. Mix and check for color. If you want more green add a little bit more.
- Let's cook: Cook the batter on medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes while stirring all the way through. It is important to keep stirring as you cook so the starches to settle to the bottom and burn. The cooking process will take about 8-10 or more minutes to fully thicken the batter. Once it has thicken, keep stirring and mixing until the color becomes translucent (about 1-2 minutes of cooking after it has thicken). Turn off heat and check the consistency. Scoop a little and if you have a nice tail hanging out of the spoon you are good to go.
- Place the cendol press above a bucket of ice water and pour the batter in. Have someone help you hold the press if you don't have anything to hold it over the ice water. I used pvc pipes to put through the handle and placed it on top of the bucket of ice. Then press the batter down until it is used up. The longer you press, the longer the cendol will be. The shorter you press, the shorter the cendol will be. So it is up to you.
- You are now done! Let it sit in cold water to retain the shape. Serve when needed. Enjoy!****WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND FRESH PANDAN LEAVES? I suggest starting with 2 tsp of pandan extract/flavoring and work your way up to 1 Tbsp. You can more or less if you notice it's too strong or not strong enough in terms of taste and color.
Notes
Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in water. Yes! You can make this recipe a day ahead.
