Name: Cambodian Grass Jelly Drink with Palm Sugar and Coconut
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 tall glasses
Cuisine: Cambodian
Ingredients: 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; 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)

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.