Grass jelly
A jelly-like dessert invented by the Hakka people.
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A dessert with a jelly-like texture, grass jelly has its origins in China and is frequently eaten across East and Southeast Asia.[1] The plant Chinese mesona, which belongs to the mint family, is the source of grass jelly, which offers a flavor that is both mild and slightly bitter.[1]
Key facts and history
The Hakka people are credited with creating grass jelly, which they traditionally consumed as a remedy for heat stroke following extended periods of labor in the fields.[1][2] Members of the Chinese diaspora were responsible for bringing this dish to Southeast Asia.[1] Within China, the Hakka people regard grass jelly as one of their characteristic dishes.[3][4] Once the liquid has cooled, it sets into a jelly that can be sliced into cubes.[5]
The finished jelly is a translucent dark brown or black color, and it has a fragrance with a hint of smoke.[6][4] Served cold, grass jelly can be accompanied by toppings like fruit, or it can be included in bubble tea and other beverages.[1] A 20-gram serving of grass jelly provides 8.2 calories, along with 1.3 grams of carbohydrates and 0.8 grams of protein.[7] In Mauritius, grass jelly is diced and combined with sweetened water or syrup to create a chilled beverage known as "mousse noire".[8]
What the cited sources add
A Vice article notes that across the United States, grass jelly is most often known as cubed black gelatin ordered as a topping at bubble milk tea shops.[4] The same article reports that Miaoli is a grass jelly production hub in Taiwan due to the vast temperature difference between night and day.[4] The shelf life of a cube of grass jelly is about a week, and the company only sells locally.[4] An Atlas Obscura account states that grass jelly remains popular as a refresher in Hong Kong, Southern China, and Taiwan.[2]
A Malaysian food blog describes Bandung Cincau as a drink that marries the creamy sweetness of Bandung with the earthy notes of cincau.[9]
References
- Wikipedia, "Grass jelly" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Grass Jelly Is Medicine and Dessert", Atlas Obscura; Wei, "Real-Deal Grass Jelly Shouldn't Come Out of a Can", Vice, 31 May 2016 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "Grass Jelly Is Medicine and Dessert", Atlas Obscura. facts only, no text reused. atlasobscura.com
- Wikipedia, "Grass jelly" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wei, "Real-Deal Grass Jelly Shouldn't Come Out of a Can", Vice, 31 May 2016 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wei, "Real-Deal Grass Jelly Shouldn't Come Out of a Can", Vice, 31 May 2016. facts only, no text reused. vice.com
- Wikipedia, "Grass jelly" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: 台北市內雙溪森林藥用植物園編輯組; Bush, "Inside the greenhouse" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Grass jelly" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wei, "Sweet, Black Grass Jelly Shouldn't Come Out of a Can", 31 May 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Grass jelly" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Nutritionix by Syndigo", www.nutritionix.com, 20 Feb 2019 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Grass jelly" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Mousse Noir : Black Jelly", Cuizine Maurice, 28 July 2016; "Chinese Cuisine", Cuizine Maurice; admin, "MINLEH LTD—MOUSSE NOIRE, ALOUDA…: Un succès puisé dans la force familiale", Le Mauricien, 8 October 2014; "Mousse Noir : Black Jelly", Cuizine Maurice, 28 July 2016; admin, "MINLEH LTD—MOUSSE NOIRE, ALOUDA…: Un succès puisé dans la force familiale", Le Mauricien, 8 October 2014; "Speciality Drink Archives", Sunny Food Canners (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Ghani Rahman, "Bandung Cincau: A Refreshing Delight with a Malaysian Twist", Munch Malaysia, 6 June 2024. facts only, no text reused. munchmalaysia.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Grass jelly (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Grass jelly (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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