Suong Sao (Grass Jelly)

Suong Sao is the most refreshing dessert made with just 2 ingredients! It’s then topped with any of your favorite ingredients from fresh fruit to sweetened red bean paste so you’ll find something to love with every bite. This recipe also includes our secret to the smoothest grass jelly ever!

The dessert made to your taste

Have you ever had those days where you just don’t know what dessert to eat, but you KNOW your body just wants something sweet?

I honestly can’t count the number of times that has happened!

Luckily for me, I can get all my favorites in a bowl of deliciously refreshing Suong Sao. Even if I’m craving a little bit of everything (fruit, boba, milk tea, ice cream…you name it), I can easily pop that over my grass jelly and it’ll STILL taste delicious.

That’s the beauty of a dessert that has been loved in so many parts of Asia!

But our version is one to try because not only is it ridiculously easy from using instant premix, we’ve tweaked it so that you’ll get jelly so silky it’s like slurping up velvet.

And if you prefer it firmer with more of a spring to each bite, then the recipe is 100% adjustable to ensure you get the texture that YOU want!

Make the dessert your own

There are many ways to make this Suong Sao recipe yours, and you don’t have to settle for just one flavor! Mix it up with any of these ingredients:

Fruit

• Jackfruit
• Mango
• Lychee
• Strawberry

Drinks

• Milk (flavored or plain)
• Soy milk
• Milk tea
• Ginger syrup (like what we used for our Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls)

Other favorites

• Taro or sweet potato balls
• Sweetened red bean paste
• Mung bean paste
• Coconut cream (with a pinch of salt, as we did with our Sticky Rice Pudding with Black Eyed Peas)
• Egg Pudding
• Brown sugar
• Boba/bubble tea pearls
• Rainbow, coconut or pandan jelly
• Basil seed
• Aloe
• Ice cream
• Shaved ice

You can use any of these or choose your own. This Suong Sao recipe is perfect for a DIY drink with all those toppings!

Why this recipe works

• Using instant Suong Sao premix makes the recipe incredibly easy because all you have to do is add water.
• Mixing things up with additional toppings means you can customize the dessert to your taste.
• Palm sugar keeps the sweetness deep and with delicious caramel undertones.

What you’ll need

For the grass jelly

About the water and sugar

Our family recipe uses twice the recommended amount of water because we prefer our Suong Sao on the softer side, but you can definitely stick to the packet’s ratio for a firmer texture.

The packet will also instruct you to mix sugar in with the grass jelly mixture. We skipped this since we were making our own sugar syrup and using a variety of sweet toppings, so adding in extra sugar is entirely optional.

For the sugar syrup

About the sugar

Palm sugar is our preferred choice for the syrup for a rich sweetness and golden color, but any sweetener will work.

For the toppings

About the toppings

We used a variety of toppings including coconut cream, red bean paste, jackfruit and mango.

All of the ingredients (except for the mango) can be found in cans at Asian supermarkets.

How to make this recipe

Making the grass jelly

Note: There are instructions on the back of the packet that you can follow, but we find that using these simpler steps still produces a great result.

Start by mixing the warm water with the packet powder in a pot. Stir using a whisk until well combined, then cut the tip off the tube of the flavoring and squeeze the liquid in.

Put the pot over a medium heat and stir for 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken. If it starts to boil, turn the heat down to low.

Note: Since we added extra water, it will barely thicken. The less water you use, the thicker it will become.

Pour the Suong Sao mixture into a serving bowl or dish.

Optional: You can use a sieve to strain the liquid through.

Let the mixture cool completely, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.

Making the sugar syrup

Put the water and palm sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once the sugar has melted, let it simmer for another 3 minutes before removing from the heat.

Transfer it into a serving dish or container and let it cool.

How to serve

When the jelly has set, dice it into smaller cubes or use a spoon to scoop layers into a serving bowl.

Pour the syrup over to the Suong Sao to taste and top with any toppings of your choice!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Keep it in the fridge for longer. This will help it firm up and settle into its intended consistency.
• Stir using a whisk. Doing this will help break up any powder balls so it gets mixed in better.
• A quick boil will do. Bringing the liquid to a gentle boil will start the gelling process, but there is no need to let it boil for long.

Try more of our refreshing family desserts!

• Snow Skin Mooncake with Salted Egg Ice Cream Filling – Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with this magical take on a classic, or just have it whenever you’re craving ice cream!
• Hashima Dessert Soup (雪蛤膏糖水) – This is a rare local delicacy that is said to have many nourishing benefits.
• Snow Fungus Dessert Soup (雪耳糖水) – Another Chinese tong sui known for its health properties and homey flavors.
• Sinh Tố Bơ (Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie) – Icy, fruity and creamy goodness all in one drink, perfect for those hot Summer days.
• Kem Chuối (Vietnamese Banana and Coconut Ice Cream) – You and your kids will love these as an after school snack. Plus, they’re deliciously healthy!

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