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Loading...Cha Houy Teuk is a beloved Cambodian street drink built around silky black grass jelly cubes suspended in sweet palm sugar syrup and creamy milk over crushed ice. It is the perfect cool-down beverage on a hot Phnom Penh afternoon, balancing herbal, earthy jelly notes with caramel-rich palm sugar and rich dairy. Served in tall glasses with a wide straw and long spoon, every sip is meant to be chased with a bite of jelly.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Servings4
Yield4 tall glasses
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 285 kcalCalories
- 8 gFat
- 5 gSaturated Fat
- 50 gCarbs
- 0 gFiber
- 44 gSugar
- 4 gProtein
- 120 mgSodium
- 210 mgPotassium
- 150 mgCalcium
- 1.2 mgIron
- 0 mgVitamin C
- 80 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the palm sugar syrup
- 1 cup (200 g) palm sugar, chopped (or dark brown sugar)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 2 pandan leaves, knotted (optional)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
For the drinks
- 1 can (400 g) grass jelly, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 cups shaved ice or finely crushed ice
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) evaporated milk or thin coconut milk
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Make the palm sugar syrup: combine chopped palm sugar, water, pandan leaves, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves, then simmer 5 to 7 minutes until lightly syrupy. Discard the pandan leaves and let the syrup cool to room temperature; it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Drain the canned grass jelly in a fine sieve, rinse briefly, and pat dry. Slice the jelly block into bite-sized 1/2-inch cubes so they fit easily onto a spoon and through a wide straw.
- Prepare four tall glasses. Divide the grass jelly cubes evenly among them, filling each glass about one-third full.
- Top each glass with shaved ice, packing gently so the ice surrounds the jelly cubes and rises to just below the rim.
- Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooled palm sugar syrup over the ice in each glass, letting it drizzle down through the cubes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of evaporated milk (or coconut milk) to each glass, pouring slowly over the ice for a layered look.
- Stir gently with a long-handled spoon to combine, then taste and adjust sweetness with more syrup or condensed milk as desired.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using and serve immediately with a wide boba straw and a long spoon so the jelly can be eaten along with the drink.
Cook’s Notes
- For the most authentic flavor, seek out fresh grass jelly (made from Mesona chinensis leaves) at a Southeast Asian grocer; canned works in a pinch but is slightly firmer.
- Adjust the sweetness to taste; very ripe palm sugar (boran) gives a deeper, almost molasses-like caramel note compared with brown sugar.
- Substitute thin coconut milk for evaporated milk if you want a richer, dairy-free, more tropical version of the drink.
- Serve immediately after assembling; once the shaved ice melts, the drink loses its characteristic texture and dilution weakens the syrup.
- Chill all ingredients ahead of time so the ice lasts longer and the drink stays frosty from the first sip to the last.
