You’ve tried tapioca pearls, sweetened red beans, and egg pudding— now what? Grass jelly, also known as cincau, is a jello-like topping that provides an exciting and chewy kick to bubble tea. It has a fresh, minty flavor that pairs well with green, white, oolong, and black teas.
Making grass jelly is a relatively simple process and is simply a matter of mixing, cooking, and chilling the ingredients. A grass jelly topping will surely leave you hooked if you want to veer off the traditional boba pearl route.
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Boba Tea Grass Jelly
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
Boiled from leaves or extracted from pre-made powder, there is more than one way to whip up this delicious dessert topping—but we’ll stick with the easiest and most reliable way in this original grass jelly recipe!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup grass jelly powder
- 2.5 tsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 4 cups water, divided
Instructions
- Whisk the powder, cornstarch, and sugar in 1 1/4 cups of water in a large bowl.
- Boil the remaining water in a medium saucepan alongside the mixture. Stir over medium to high temperature for 2 to 3 minutes as you slowly pour the powder/sugar/cornstarch mixture into the hot water. Whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
- Once the mixture is fully dissolved, turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer it to a fridge and let it cool for 2 hours.
- When the jelly has fully cooled, transfer it to a cutting board and cut it into approximately one-inch jelly cubes.
Notes
You can enjoy grass jelly on its own as a dessert or add it to your favorite bubble tea. It pairs especially well with condensed or coconut milk and fruit flavors.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
What Does Boba Tea Grass Jelly Taste Like?
Boba tea grass jelly has a slightly grassy flavor reminiscent of mint. Some people say that grass jelly has a somewhat bitter taste; however, adding more sugar or honey will balance this out.
The texture of grass jelly is chewy and almost gelatin-like. Unlike tapioca pearls, grass jelly quickly melts in your mouth, making it a great topping if you want a boba tea topping that goes down easily.
5 Health Benefits of Grass Jelly
Even though grass jelly is a desert topping, there are some notable health benefits that you can get from consuming it.
These health benefits include the following:
- Grass jelly boosts the digestive system, alleviating diarrhea, constipation, and stomach pain.
- Grass jelly contains several vitamins like A, C, B1, and Calcium.
- Unlike other desserts, grass jelly doesn’t cause insulin spikes.
- Grass jelly eliminates free radicals that can cause various cancers, including kidney and lung cancer.
- This dessert also prevents various ailments such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and vertigo.
What Is the Nutritional Value of Grass Jelly?
Here’s the breakdown of one serving of grass jelly (approximately one cup):
| Nutrition | Value |
| Calories | 132 |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Calcium | 164 mg |
| Iron | 5 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Sodium | 38 mg |
| Potassium | 282 mg |
| Sugar | 13 g |
Can You Make This Recipe With Leaves Instead of Powder?
Yes, absolutely. Boil Chinese Mesona plant leaves with potassium carbonate, sweeteners, and starch, then leave it to cool and refrigerate it. From there, add it to your boba tea as a topping or eat it as-is. You can also use canned grass jelly to enjoy a grass jelly drink without all the fuss of making the topping from scratch.
Which Bubble Tea Flavors Are Best With Grass Jelly Topping?
Grass jelly works well with many bubble tea flavors, including fruit and milk teas. It adds a dose of minty freshness to boba drinks.
These are some of the best grass jelly-milk tea flavor combinations you should try:
- Taro milk tea
- Matcha milk tea
- Honeydew milk tea
- Thai milk tea
- Wintermelon milk tea
- Original milk tea
Another neat aspect of grass jelly is its sheer variety. You can use grass jelly in a variety of Asian desserts. For instance, you can pair it with fruits or eat it soaked with condensed milk. You can even enjoy it as a standalone dish!
Whichever way you decide to consume it, a grass jelly dessert is enjoyed by many for its distinct taste profile. Couple that fact with its various health benefits, and you’ve got yourself a snack that’s both delicious and guilt-free.