food
Top 3 cendols to cool down with in KL and PJ
SS15's Best Cendol also comes with red bean paste and a few corn kernels. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 10, 2016.Can't stand Malaysia's sizzling hot tropical days? Neither can we, so we hunted down three cendol places around town to cool off and indulge in our love for sweets.
A cold dessert or drink popular in the Southeast Asian region, the name refers to the characteristic green, worm-like jellies found in every bowl of cendol. Made with rice flour and pandan, often tinged green with colouring, they are traditionally formed by pushing the dough through a colander into ice water.
A typical bowl of cendol in Malaysia consists of the green jellies, shaved ice, gula Melaka and coconut milk (santan). Other ingredients like red bean paste or kidney beans, pulut (glutinous rice) and even durian are popular add-ons.
While we're sure many Malaysians have their go-to cendol places, but here are our top three picks for the delicious green worm-shaped jellies in KL and PJ:
Gerai Minum Weng Kee, PJ Old Town
With its faded hand-painted signage, Kedai Minum Weng Kee is a fixture in Medan Selera PJ Old Town. Run by the friendly Aunty Peggy, the small lot is a popular stop for drinks and icy desserts.
The cendol (RM2.80) here is as pretty as it is tasty. Served in a tall glass, you can see the layers of the worm jellies, red bean paste (optional), gula Melaka, ice and santan.
Served in a tall glass with a straw, slurping up Aunty Peggy's cendol at Kedai Minum Weng Kee has never been easier. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 10, 2016.The cendol itself laid at the bottom. Thin, smooth and slippery, we didn't even need to chew as it slid easily up the straw and down our throats.
We usually opt for the cendol with red bean paste for added texture and flavour.
The stall also serves a mean ais kacang or you can take your pick from the many eats at the food court while enjoying your ice-cold cendol.
Gerai Minum Weng Kee | Address: Stall 46, Medan Selera PJ Old Town, Jalan Othman, 46050 Petaling Jaya | Opening hours: 9am – 9pm daily | GPS coordinates: 3.087504, 101.645887
Ah Keong ABC & Cendol stall, Brickfields
Ah Keong's stall sits beside a 7-11 behind the YMCA in bustling Brickfields. Their shaded tables provide a temporary reprieve from the sun as you tuck into up a bowl of their refreshing cendol (RM2, small).
Unlike Aunty Peggy's compact ice mountain, the shaved ice in Ah Keong's cendol is loosely shaped into a ball, giving it a fluffy texture as it floats in a sea of aromatic santan and wriggly bits of plump, chewy worm jellies.
The fragrance and flavours of the cendol were light and delicate, coming together to make pleasantly mild dessert perfect for a hot day. You could slurp up a whole bowl and not feel too guilty about it!
The roadside set-up is also popular for their fresh coconut water as a steady stream of customers came and went, taking away packets and packets of the cooling juice.
Ah Keong ABC & Cendol stall | Address: Beside 7-11, Jalan Padang Belia, 50470 Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur | Opening hours: 10am – 6pm daily | GPS coordinates: 3.132962, 101.689640
You'll always see at least one customer hanging around Ah Keong's ABC & Cendol stall in Brickfields. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 10, 2016.Best Cendol, SS15 Subang
While some die-hard cendol fans might debate over the name of this stall, the dessert here is certainly one of the best we've had.
Located in the less traffic-choked part of SS15 near the KFC, Best Cendol does not provide seating but you'll see many willing patrons standing around enjoying a bowl of the good green stuff.
The stall serves two types of cendol (RM2): basic and with pulut. The green jellies here are by far the firmest of the three places in this article, giving each spoonful a nice bite.
While the addition of pulut in some places tend to make the cendol too salty, we really enjoyed it here. Chunks of glutinous rice provided extra chewy goodness with only a very slight hint of salty flavour.
The cendol was also definitely more on the watery side, with just a sprinkling of shaved ice. Some may find that this dilutes the santan and gula Melaka but it made it all the easier for us to slurp it up. But if you like your cendol icy, then this isn't for you. – March 10, 2016.
Best Cendol SS15 | Address: Near KFC, along Jalan SS15/3B, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor | Opening hours: 11am – 7pm daily | GPS coordinates: 3.078410, 101.589015.
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