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Grass jelly with toppings in a bowl next to an empty bowl with spoons in it.
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5 from 1 vote

How To Make Grass Jelly

Make grass jelly from scratch! It's healthy and free from any hidden additives you'd find in store-bought versions.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese
Servings: 2
Calories: 286kcal
Author: Jeannette

Equipment

  • Scissors
  • large filter bag (or anything that can strain the mesona liquid like muslin cloth or a coffee bag)

Ingredients

  • 60 g / 0.14 lb dried Chinese mesona (we get it from Chinese medicinal stores)
  • 2 L / 8.5 US cup water
  • 90 g / 0.2 lb rock sugar (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 60 g / 0.14 lb sweet potato starch (can be substituted in equal amounts with cassava, arrowroot or corn starch or 7.5 tbsp gelatin powder)
  • 60 mL / 1/4 US cup water (only to be mixed in with the starch. Not to be used for the gelatin powder)

Instructions

  • Use scissors to cut the mesona into smaller segments, roughly 10cm (4") long.
  • Rinse the cut dried herbs with water 2-3 times or until there is no more dirt residue.
  • Pour 2L (8.5 US cup) water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the mesona in with the baking powder, then let it simmer for 40 minutes.
  • Scoop out the dried herb and filter it through a large filter bag. Repeat for a second strain.
    Note: You can use anything similar to a muslin cloth or coffee bag.
  • Once strained, pour it back into the pot and mix in the rock sugar until dissolved. You can serve it as is as a hot drink or with ice.
    Alternatively, stir the sweet potato starch with 60mL (1/4 US cup) water until well combined, then slowly pour it into the herbal liquid as you stir. It will start to slowly thicken.
  • Transfer the grass jelly into a serving bowl or cup and enjoy hot immediately as is!
    Note: If you leave it to rest, it will begin to firm up more. You can also leave it in the fridge to eat cold.

Notes

  • Use sweet potato starch. This is the most ideal ingredient for the QQ (al dente) texture.
  • Clean the dried herbs thoroughly. The cleaner it is, the smoother your dessert will be after it has firmed up.
  • Break the rock sugar into smaller pieces. Doing so will help it dissolve faster, but it also lets you add a bit at a time to control how sweet you want it as you taste test.
  • You can find dried mesona at Chinese medicinal stores. Just ask the herbalist for the herb that's used to make grass jelly.
  • The best starch to use when making grass jelly is sweet potato starch. Other starches will help to solidify the liquid over time, but will not produce the same QQ (Chinese al dente) texture.
  • If you're using gelatin, this will take the longest to set. Give it 3 hours minimum to firm up. Also note that the springiness will be on the crunchier side.
  • Serve your grass jelly hot as is, let it cool completely in the fridge and cube it into a sweet milky drink, add some taro and sweet potato balls on top or lay some chopped or sliced fruit over the jelly.

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 599mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 37mg