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Loading...Chendol is a beloved Singaporean street dessert that layers bright pandan-flavored rice flour noodles over a mountain of shaved ice, drenched in smoky palm sugar syrup and creamy coconut milk. Every spoonful balances salty, sweet, and herbaceous notes with cool, chewy, and silky textures. It is the ultimate refresher on a hot equatorial afternoon.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield4 tall glasses
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 430 kcalCalories
- 23 gFat
- 19 gSaturated Fat
- 56 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 38 gSugar
- 5 gProtein
- 110 mgSodium
- 390 mgPotassium
- 65 mgCalcium
- 2 mgIron
- 6 mgVitamin C
- 15 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the pandan chendol jelly
- 50 g rice flour
- 20 g mung bean flour
- 200 ml fresh pandan juice (from about 10 pandan leaves blended and strained)
- 300 ml water
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp lime juice mixed into 400 ml ice-cold water (for setting)
For the palm sugar syrup
- 200 g gula melaka (palm sugar), chopped
- 150 ml water
- 1 pandan leaf, knotted
For the pandan coconut milk
- 400 ml thick coconut milk
- 150 ml water
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 pandan leaves, knotted
For the toppings and assembly
- 200 g cooked red adzuki beans, tossed with 30 g sugar
- 100 g canned sweet corn kernels, drained
- 600 g crushed or shaved ice
Directions
- Blend 10 pandan leaves with 200 ml water until very green, then strain through cheesecloth to yield 200 ml of fresh pandan juice.
- In a heavy saucepan, whisk together rice flour, mung bean flour, salt, pandan juice, and 300 ml water until smooth; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture thickens into a glossy, paste-like batter.
- Prepare a lime-water ice bath by combining 400 ml cold water with the lime juice in a large bowl; press the warm batter through a chendol strainer or perforated ladle directly into the lime water to form thin green noodle strands. Rest 5 minutes, then drain well.
- Meanwhile, combine chopped palm sugar, 150 ml water, and a knotted pandan leaf in a small saucepan; simmer over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the sugar dissolves into a thick, dark caramel syrup. Remove the pandan leaf and keep the syrup warm.
- For the coconut dressing, combine coconut milk, 150 ml water, salt, and 2 knotted pandan leaves in a saucepan; warm gently over low heat for 5 minutes without boiling, then remove from heat and discard the pandan.
- Fill four tall glasses with a generous scoop of crushed ice, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons each of chendol jelly, sweetened red beans, and sweet corn over the ice.
- Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of warm palm sugar syrup over the ice, followed by 3 to 4 tablespoons of the pandan-scented coconut milk so it cascades down the sides.
- Serve immediately with a long spoon, stirring everything together just before each bite to combine the sweet, salty, and creamy elements.
Cook’s Notes
- Fresh pandan leaves give the most authentic aroma and green color; substitute 2 tsp pandan essence if leaves are unavailable, though the flavor will be less nuanced.
- The lime-water ice bath keeps the chendol strands firm and bouncy; drain them well before assembling so they do not water down the syrup.
- Warm the palm sugar syrup just before pouring because heat releases its caramel aroma and helps it sink through the ice instead of freezing on the surface.
- For a vegan version, ensure your palm sugar is pure (some blends contain coconut sugar) and swap the sweetened beans for attap seeds, grass jelly, or fresh fruit like mango.
- Assemble only when ready to serve since the ice melts quickly under warm syrup and the coconut milk can split if left standing too long.
