China · Henan
Shi Liangfen (Ice Jelly)
A jelly-textured dessert from Xinyang in Henan, slippery and delicate like a soft panna cotta, usually served with mint or lemon for a cooling finish. It is made by hand from ice jelly seeds, so nothing artificial goes in.
Shi liangfen is a summer street snack of southern Henan, eaten for its cooling quality rather than any sweetness, and usually poured into a plastic cup to be eaten with a spoon. The seeds are not a ready-made powder: they are rubbed by hand in water to release the plant gel, which means the set is decided by the kneading rather than by any heat. Most of the three hours is passive standing time while the liquid sets.
Ingredients
- ice jelly seeds200 g
- cool boiled water2000 g
- mint juice10 ml
Directions
- 1
Pour the cool boiled water into a basin.
- 2
Tip all of the ice jelly seeds into a piece of muslin and tie the open end into a knot.
- 3
Put the bundle of seeds into the water and rub it hard between your hands for six minutes.
- 4
Then leave the water to stand for two and a half hours, until it sets.
- 5
Spoon the set jelly into a clear plastic cup, add 10ml of mint juice or 10g of mint powder (lemon juice, hawthorn juice or mulberry juice work too), add glowing ice cubes, and stir slowly until evenly mixed.
Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.