Topic summary

Grass jelly

Grass jelly
Alternative Chinese nameChinese仙草Second alternative Chinese nameChinese草粿Vietnamese nameVietnamese alphabetsương sáo
thạch đen
Thai nameThaiเฉาก๊วยRTGSchaokuai

Grass jelly, also known as leaf jelly or herbal jelly, is a jelly-like dessert originating in China. It is commonly consumed in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is created by using Chinese mesona (a member of the mint family) and has a mild, slightly bitter taste. Grass jelly was invented by the Hakka people who historically used the food to alleviate heat stroke after long days working in the field. The dish was introduced to Southeast Asia by the Chinese diaspora. It is served chilled, with other toppings, such as fruit, or in bubble tea or other drinks. Outside Asia, it is sold in Asian supermarkets.