Grass Jelly

[aprilmei]

Isn't agar agar what Ferran Adria is using to make his warm jelly?

[Gary Soup]

Actually the point of using agar as a support medium for bacterial cultures is based on the fact that it's not nutrient-rich, at least as far as bacteria are concerned.

You are right, of course. (My high school biology is almost 50 years behind me.)

you can add exactly what you'd like and not worry much about what's already there.

This is also a good characterization of agar-agar's use in cuisine.

[hzrt8w]

grass jelly is distinct from turtle jelly, as aprilmei calls it, also aka guilinggao which traditionally had turtle shell ground and added to it.

Turtle shells are very hard. Does anybody know how they are ground to make guilinggao?

[Laksa]

Turtle shells are very hard.  Does anybody know how they are ground to make guilinggao?

with great difficulty. :laugh:

[hzrt8w]

with great difficulty. :laugh:

But do you know what they used to grind the turtle shells?

Cleaver? Mortar? Food processor? Press? File? Chain saw? Black powder? TNT? Dynamite?

[Laksa]

I don't know, but according to this page on fresh water turtle shell, the shell is boiled for 1-2 hours, which I imagine would soften it somewhat.

After that, you give Mr. Universe a really big mortar and pestle and set him to work!

[Laksa]

All the talk of grass jelly got me hankering for some. So after work, I went to the local Thai grocery store to get a can. The Thai lady at the store insisted that I should have it with palm sugar instead of regular cane sugar:

Dice up the jelly, melt the palm sugar and pour the jelly and syrup into a bowl with some ice cubes:

The palm sugar gave it a real nice nutty flavour. Refreshing! And I think I already feel a difference in the bee-hind.

Edited July 22, 2004 by Laksa (log)

[aprilmei]

There are some places in Hong Kong that still make their own turtle jelly. They always have a big, brass turtle outside the shop. They also have lots of turtle shells (whole, with the meat taken out) laid out over this big, round (about 3 feet in diameter) ... not quite sure what to call it, but it seems to be emitting a faint, smokey smell and a steamy feel. I haven't been able to look closely at the whatever-it's-called because the turtle shells cover the top of it completely. I don't know if there's actually a fire or charcoal below the shells but I can't imagine that because it's INSIDE the shop - and that wouldn't be very healthy for the workers.

[Tepee]

Grass jelly and no mention of Michael Jackson???!!!

Almost everyone I know loves Michael Jackson - the drink, that is. It's basically soya bean milk with cubed grass jelly. Some genius created it and it sold very well in chinese coffee shops in M'sia. It's so famous now that Yeo Hiap Seng packages their soya milk together with their cincau, so you can have them at home. Great combo!

[Gary Soup]

I don't know, but according to this page on fresh water turtle shell, the shell is boiled for 1-2 hours, which I imagine would soften it somewhat.

After that, you give Mr. Universe a really big mortar and pestle and set him to work!

My wife occasionally makes turtle soup. The shell of a soft-shelled turtle get soft enough to eat, though I don't care to.

Edited July 23, 2004 by Gary Soup (log)

[Shiewie]

Grass jelly and no mention of Michael Jackson???!!!

Almost everyone I know loves Michael Jackson - the drink, that is. It's basically soya bean milk with cubed grass jelly. Some genius created it and it sold very well in chinese coffee shops in M'sia. It's so famous now that Yeo Hiap Seng packages their soya milk together with their cincau, so you can have them at home. Great combo!

Have tried the grass jelly soy milk combo but have only recently learnt that it's called a "Michael Jackson". TP - have you tried ordering the combo as a "Michael Jackson" at any of the local coffee shops? Do the servers give you a weird look or is it a term that's well known?

The supermarkets here in Malaysia also sell a slightly sweetened grass jelly. It comes in a plastic wrapped roll. When I'm too lazy to make the syrup for it, I just cut it up into slices and eat it on its own .

[Laksa]

Grass jelly and no mention of Michael Jackson???!!!

Almost everyone I know loves Michael Jackson - the drink, that is. It's basically soya bean milk with cubed grass jelly.

Is there a logical explanation as to why the soy milk and grass jelly combo is called Michael Jackson?

Edited July 23, 2004 by Laksa (log)

[hzrt8w]

Is there a logical explanation as to why the soy milk and grass jelly combo is called Michael Jackson?

Let me guess: The core (grass jelly) is black but it's coated with white milky (soya milk) substances?

Is that a little bit similar to calling America Born Chinese "Jook Sing"?

[Laksa]

Is there a logical explanation as to why the soy milk and grass jelly combo is called Michael Jackson?

Let me guess: The core (grass jelly) is black but it's coated with white milky (soya milk) substances?

Is that a little bit similar to calling America Born Chinese "Jook Sing"?

I had guesses, but I wasn't sure...

I have heard "bananas" used in reference to Chinese who have embraced a Western culture or have become completely assimilated. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside.

What is "Jook Sing"? My cantonese is not that good.

[hzrt8w]

I have heard "bananas" used in reference to Chinese who have embraced a Western culture or have become completely assimilated. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside.

What is "Jook Sing"? My cantonese is not that good.

"Jook Sing" is young bamboo shoot, or bamboo pith? Same meaning as "banana": yellow on the outside, white on the inside.

[Ben Hong]

"Jook sing" has taken on a whole new nuance over time. It usually means a young(er) person of Chinese parentage who can't really fit in or function completely and comfortably in either one of his cultures, either Chinese or western. If you took a complete section of bamboo it is blocked at both ends and hollow in the middle, ergo... A great example of the Chinese penchant for wordplay. It is only considered very mildly perjorative. In some cases and families sometimes the phrase is almost a term of endearment, seeing that there are so many Chinese of second and third generations now.