Thai Lod Chong Dessert (Cendol Recipe) Recipe

Introduction

Thai Lod Chong, also known as Cendol, is a refreshing and sweet dessert featuring soft pandan noodles in creamy coconut milk and rich coconut sugar syrup. Perfect for warm days, this traditional treat balances fragrant pandan flavors with a delightfully chewy texture.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 5 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 3.5 ounces pandan leaves, chopped
• 5 cups water
• 3 tablespoons calcium hydroxide
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 pandan leaves
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup water (for syrup)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Make limewater by stirring calcium hydroxide into 5 cups of water until dissolved. Let it sit for 3 hours, then carefully pour off 5 cups of the clear limewater, leaving the sediment behind.
2. Step 2: Blend 4 cups of the clear limewater with chopped pandan leaves until smooth. Save 1 cup of the limewater for later and strain the pandan mixture through cheesecloth into a bowl.
3. Step 3: In a large bowl, mix tapioca starch and rice flour. Gradually add some pandan water to the flour while kneading to form a dough, then add the remaining pandan water.
4. Step 4: Pour the pandan water mixture into a pot over the lowest heat setting. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes until it thickens and clumps together.
5. Step 5: Slowly add the reserved cup of limewater to the pot a little every 3 minutes while stirring without stopping. After 30 minutes, the dough will turn bright green and become gooey.
6. Step 6: Press the dough through a lod chong (cendol) press into ice-cold water to form the noodles. Set aside.
7. Step 7: To make the sugar syrup, combine coconut sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
8. Step 8: For the coconut milk, gently heat coconut milk with salt and pandan leaves over low heat for about 3 minutes. Remove pandan leaves and keep warm.
9. Step 9: To serve, drain the pandan noodles and place over ice in bowls. Add coconut milk and sugar syrup to taste. Optional toppings like jackfruit or corn can be added for extra flavor and texture. Enjoy immediately.

Tips & Variations

• Use fresh pandan leaves for the best aroma, or pandan extract as a substitute if fresh leaves are unavailable.
• Adjust the sweetness of the syrup to your preference by adding more or less coconut sugar.
• For a vegan version, ensure the coconut milk is dairy-free and use natural sugar.
• Add toppings such as sweet corn, red beans, or jackfruit to enhance texture and flavor.
• Continuous stirring during cooking prevents lumps and ensures smooth noodles.

Storage

Store pandan noodles, coconut milk, and sugar syrup separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, warm the coconut milk gently and combine with cold noodles and syrup just before serving to maintain the best texture. The noodles can become sticky if stored mixed for too long.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use dried pandan powder instead of fresh leaves?

Yes, pandan powder can be used, but fresh pandan leaves provide a more vibrant aroma and flavor. Use about 1-2 teaspoons of pandan extract or powder diluted in water as a substitute.

What is calcium hydroxide and why is it used in this recipe?

Calcium hydroxide, or food-grade lime, helps create the right texture and firmness in the pandan noodles by reacting with the starches. It’s essential for achieving the chewy, jelly-like consistency typical of lod chong.

Thai Lod Chong Dessert (Cendol Recipe) Recipe

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Thai Lod Chong, also known as Cendol, is a refreshing traditional Thai dessert featuring green pandan-flavored rice flour noodles served in creamy coconut milk and sweet coconut sugar syrup. This recipe takes about 4 hours 10 minutes, including setting time, and yields a cool, gooey, and delightfully sweet treat perfect for hot days.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 3 hours 20 minutes (including limewater setting and prep)
• Cook Time: 50 minutes (cooking dough, syrup, and coconut milk)
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pandan Noodles

• 1 cup rice flour
• 5 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 3.5 ounces pandan leaves, chopped
• 5 cups water (for limewater and pandan water)
• 3 tablespoons calcium hydroxide

Coconut Milk Mixture

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 pandan leaves

Sugar Syrup

• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1. Prepare Limewater: Stir calcium hydroxide into 5 cups of water until dissolved. Let it sit undisturbed for 3 hours to settle, then carefully pour off 5 cups of the clear limewater leaving the sediment behind.
2. Make Pandan Water: Blend 4 cups of the clear limewater with chopped pandan leaves until well mixed. Set aside 1 cup of the limewater for later use.
3. Strain Pandan Mix: Strain the blended pandan limewater mixture through cheesecloth into a bowl to extract a smooth pandan water.
4. Mix Flour Dough: In a large bowl, combine tapioca starch and rice flour. Slowly knead in some pandan water to form a dough, then gradually add the remaining pandan water until fully incorporated.
5. Cook Pandan Dough: Transfer pandan water mixture to a pot and cook over the lowest heat, stirring constantly. After about 10 minutes, the mixture thickens and clumps.
6. Add Reserved Limewater: Slowly add the reserved 1 cup limewater in increments every 3 minutes while stirring continuously for 30 minutes. The dough will turn bright green and gooey.
7. Form Noodles: Press the dough through a lod chong press directly into ice-cold water to form the characteristic green noodles.
8. Prepare Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan over low-medium heat, combine water and coconut sugar. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the syrup slightly thickens.
9. Cook Coconut Milk: In another saucepan over low heat, add coconut milk, salt, and pandan leaves. Cook gently for about 3 minutes to infuse flavors, then remove pandan leaves.
10. Serve: Drain the pandan noodles from the ice water. In serving bowls, add ice, then noodles, coconut milk mixture, and sugar syrup to taste. Optionally, top with jackfruit, corn, or preferred toppings. Enjoy this refreshing Thai dessert!

Notes

• Calcium hydroxide acts as a key ingredient for texture and color, so ensure you use food-grade powdered calcium hydroxide safe for cooking.
• Constant stirring when cooking pandan dough is essential to prevent lumps and achieve the correct chewy, gooey texture.
• Using fresh pandan leaves enhances flavor and vibrant green color; frozen leaves can be used as a substitute but may yield less intensity.
• The lod chong press is a specialized tool for shaping noodles; if unavailable, a sieve or noodle press with similar holes can suffice.
• Adjust sugar syrup quantity to your preferred sweetness level.
• Serve immediately after assembling for best texture and freshness.

Keywords: Thai dessert, Lod Chong, Cendol, pandan noodles, coconut milk dessert, tropical dessert, sweet syrup, traditional Thai recipe