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🟢 Cendol

Prep: 2 hoursCook: 20 minTotal: ~2.5 hours

🟢 Khao Lod Song (Cendol) - Lao Green Dessert

A Lao dessert made with sweetened coconut milk with floating green pandan-flavored gems. The green gems are made from a large strainer with the gems falling into ice cold water like green rain. Can be sweetened with caramelized sugar or palm sugar.

Ingredients

For Slaked Lime Water:

  • • Water - 5 cups
  • • Lime stone paste - 2 tablespoons

For Pandan Water:

  • • Pandan leaves - 10 leaves
  • • Water - 3 cups

For Green Gems (Cendol):

  • • Rice flour - 1 cup
  • • Tapioca flour - 2 tablespoons
  • • Pandan water - 2 cups (from above)
  • • Slaked lime water - 2 cups (clear top portion, from above)
  • • Pandan extract - 1 teaspoon (optional, for extra color/flavor)

For Salted Coconut Milk:

  • • Coconut milk - 13.5 fl oz (1 can)
  • • Salt - 1 teaspoon

For Caramelized Syrup:

  • • Granulated sugar - 1 cup
  • • Palm sugar - 2 blocks (or brown sugar as substitute)
  • • Water - 1 cup

For Serving:

  • • Ice cubes - lots!
  • • Water - for ice bath

Step-by-Step Method

1. Make Slaked Lime Water (Start 1.5 hours ahead)

Lime stone paste is made from conch shells baked at high temperatures, crushed, and pounded. When added to water, it releases calcium ions that help firm up the cendol.

  • Place 2 tbsp lime stone paste in a large bowl
  • Pour 5 cups water on top
  • Use a spoon to crush any stones that don't dissolve
  • Mix well until cloudy
  • Let sit for 1.5 hours until solids settle to bottom
  • Slowly pour the separated clear water into another bowl, keeping the sediments in the original bowl

2. Make Pandan Water

Pandan leaves can be found everywhere in Laos. They have a fragrant smell and vanilla-like flavor used often in desserts. One way to extract the flavors is to blend the leaves with warm water and then strain it. Warm green liquid will come out.

  • Cut up 10 pandan leaves
  • Blend them in 3 cups warm water
  • Blend on high speed until well blended
  • Strain through a sieve to extract the green liquid
  • Set aside the pandan water

3. Make the Green Gems Mixture

  • In a pot, add rice flour and tapioca flour and whisk together
  • Add 2 cups pandan water
  • Add 2 cups clear slaked lime water
  • Add 1 tsp pandan extract and mix
  • Cook on high until it all becomes thickened
  • Then cook on low heat for 6-8 minutes until thick
  • Important: Make sure the mixture is not undercooked and not overcooked

4. Form the Green Gems

Technique tip: I highly recommend getting a metal strainer to create the green gems. Have the gems falling at a height that will give you short raindrop shapes.

  • Fill a large bowl with water and lots of ice cubes (make it freezing cold - ice cold bath water)
  • Use a metal strainer with large holes (or cendol maker)
  • Put the green mixture through the strainer
  • Let the green gems fall into the ice cold bath water like green rain
  • The mixture will form into worm-shaped gems as it hits the cold water
  • Let sit in the cold bath water while you make the syrups

5. Make Salted Coconut Milk

  • In a separate pot, warm coconut milk with salt on low heat
  • Whisk together until warm
  • Pour into a separate bowl

6. Make Caramelized Syrup

Palm sugar comes from coconut palm trees. There are a variety of palm trees Southeast Asians get their palm sugar from. It's produced by boiling collected sap and it almost tastes just like butterscotch and caramel.

  • In a small pot, melt 1 cup sugar and 2 blocks of palm sugar on low heat
  • Give this some time to melt and caramelize
  • It's going to turn a light golden brown
  • Once you see that most has become a liquid, pour in 1 cup water to stop the caramelization process
  • Let that boil off for 4-5 minutes until everything becomes a liquid
  • Pour into a separate bowl

7. Assemble and Serve

  • Let everything get to room temperature
  • Assemble by adding green gems, sugar syrup, and coconut milk
  • Top it off with crushed ice
  • Serve and enjoy!

Where to Find Ingredients

  • • Lime stone paste: Asian grocery stores, online
  • • Pandan leaves: Asian grocery stores (fresh or frozen), or use pandan powder/extract
  • • Palm sugar: Asian grocery stores (can substitute brown sugar if needed)
  • • Cendol maker: Asian kitchen supply stores, or use a colander with large holes
  • • Rice flour & Tapioca flour: Most grocery stores or Asian markets

Tips & Tricks to Make the Best Khao Lod Song

This is a simple recipe but it is difficult when it comes to the technique:

  • ✓ The slaked lime water needs 1.5 hours to settle - start this first!
  • ✓ I highly recommend getting a metal strainer to create the green gems
  • ✓ Have the gems falling at a height that will give you short raindrop shapes
  • ✓ Make sure the mixture is not undercooked and not overcooked
  • ✓ Make sure the ice bath is very cold - this helps the cendol form properly
  • ✓ Don't skip the lime water - it's essential for the right texture
  • ✓ Practice makes perfect! This recipe and technique takes practice - don't give up!
  • ✓ Let everything get to room temperature before assembling

Variations & Substitutions

  • • Flavors & Colors: It can be flavored and colored in many ways - try ube, durian, or butterfly pea flower!
  • • Palm sugar: Can use brown sugar or dark brown sugar as substitute
  • • Fresh pandan leaves: Can use pandan powder or extract (adjust amounts)
  • • Metal strainer: Use a colander with large holes if you don't have a cendol maker
  • • Lime stone paste: Essential for texture - try to find it at Asian markets

About Pandan Leaves

Pandan leaves can be found everywhere in Laos. They have a fragrant smell and vanilla-like flavor used often in desserts. The leaves are even said to help cure cramps and headaches!

One way to extract the flavors is to blend the leaves with warm water and then strain it. Warm green liquid will come out.