Cendol

Name: Cendol
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: 80 g mung bean flour; 20 g rice flour; 500 ml water; 120 ml pandan extract; 200 g cooked adzuki beans; 150 g palm sugar; 100 ml water for the syrup; 500 ml coconut milk; 1 pinch salt; Crushed ice

Local name: Cendol

An iced Penang dessert of green pandan noodles, coconut milk, red beans and palm sugar syrup.

Published on 28 August 2026·Updated on 10 September 2026

VeganGluten-free#iced#pandan#coconut#palm sugar#dessert

AI-generated image, not a photograph of the dish

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 45 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Method

Set out a large bowl of ice water and rest a wide-holed colander over it.
Whisk both flours with the water and pandan extract in a cold pan.
Heat over medium, stirring without pause, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the paste turns translucent and thick.
Push the hot paste through the colander with a spatula so the drops fall into the ice water as noodles.
Melt the palm sugar in the water, then strain and cool the syrup.
Salt the coconut milk and keep it chilled.
Build each bowl with crushed ice, drained noodles, red beans, coconut milk and syrup.

The temperature shock sets the mung bean starch the moment a drop hits ice water. That is what gives each noodle its teardrop shape and springy bite.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 536 kcal
Protein: 11.3 g
Fat: 26.5 g
Carbohydrate: 69.1 g
Fibre: 7 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my noodles dissolve in the iced water?

Because the batter was undercooked. It needs to turn clearly translucent and thick enough to resist the spoon before it goes through the colander. A batter that is still opaque has not gelled and simply breaks up on contact with water.

Can I substitute the mung bean flour?

It is what gives cendol its springy, slippery texture, quite unlike cornflour, which yields soft, brittle strands. Rice flour on its own will not set either. Look for mung bean flour in an Asian grocer.

How do I get pandan extract without fresh leaves?

The extract is made by blending pandan leaves with water and straining. Asian grocers also sell concentrated pandan paste: a few drops are enough, as it is intensely coloured and perfumed.

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