Taiwanese Grass Jelly Drink (Xian Cao)

About This Recipe

Taiwanese Grass Jelly Drink is a real, traditional Taiwanese dish, known as Xian Cao. Chilled cubes of herbal grass jelly served in a lightly sweetened drink, an iconic cooling refreshment across Taiwan's summer.\n\nXian cao, or grass jelly, is made by boiling the Platostoma palustre herb and setting the extracted liquid with starch, a preparation with roots in southern Chinese herbal traditions that Taiwan adopted and popularized as a bottled and drink-stand staple.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Taiwanese home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 400 gprepared grass jelly (store-bought block)(cubed)
• 500 mlcold water
• 3 tbspbrown sugar syrup
• 1 cupice cubes
• 2 tbspcooked tapioca pearls(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cube the jelly

   Cut the prepared grass jelly block into small cubes.

2. 2

   Make the syrup

   If not using pre-made syrup, dissolve brown sugar in a little hot water and let cool.

3. 3

   Fill the glass

   Add ice cubes to a tall glass, followed by the grass jelly cubes.

4. 4

   Add tapioca

   If using, add cooked tapioca pearls to the bottom or alongside the jelly.

5. 5

   Add liquid

   Pour cold water into the glass, followed by a generous drizzle of brown sugar syrup.

6. 6

   Stir and serve

   Stir gently to combine, and serve immediately with a wide straw or spoon to scoop up the jelly.

Variations

• •

  Add fresh soy milk instead of water for a creamier, more filling version.

• •

  Mix in aloe vera cubes for extra texture alongside the grass jelly.

• •

  Serve slightly warm in winter, a lesser-known but traditional way to enjoy grass jelly.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions