Cheng Tng Recipe – Healthy Asian Dessert!

Cheng Tng Recipe – Healthy Asian Dessert!

Cheng Tng  ( 清汤 )which literally means “clear soup”, is a very popular dessert that is available in almost every Hawkers Centre in Singapore. There is a similar dessert in Vietnam called Ching bo leung.  It is a good choice for the health-conscious, as it combines an array of healthy, dry ingredients that are boiled in a sweet soup-like dessert that is sweetened with rock sugar. There are a variety of ingredients that may be used, and you can add or omit according to your personal preference or availability of ingredients.

Definitely one of Singapore’s most popular local desserts, it is a sweet bowl of refreshing comfort! A treat that may be served hot or cold! It is absolutely delightful served cold, during the hot summer months while being perfectly blissful served hot, on those rainy cool evenings!

The common ingredients are Dried Longan, Dried red dates, Pearl Barley, Sago, White Fungus, Pandan Leaves (Screwpine), Lotus seeds, Ginko Nuts, Dried Persimmon, Pang Da Hai (胖⼤海/ Boat Sterculia Seed/Malva nut). It can also contain jelly strips. You can use agar-agar or Konnyakku.

Many consider the ‘Pang dai hai’ (dried Malva nut ) to be the most important component. It has a cooling effect and disperses ‘Qi’ . According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), qi is the vital energy that circulates through the body at all times. It has a wonderful cooling effect, but pregnant are advised against it.

I make it sometimes with and sometimes without the Pang da hai, the color of the Cheng tng will vary accordingly. The broth may also be naturally sweetened by adding sweet potato, dried persimmon, and sugared winter melon.  A perfect Cheng tng will not just be sugar water with added ingredients, you should be able to taste the flavor of the individual ingredients as they add soul to the sweet broth as they come together.

Instead of adding shaved ice to the hot broth, the cold version may be served with cute ice balls too. Use silicone molds to create lovely ice cubes.

Scroll down for the Complete Recipe.

Cheng Tng Recipe – Healthy Asian Dessert!

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Watch the Video or click to read Complete Recipe – Below. 

How to make Cheng Tng Recipe – Healthy Asian Dessert!Recipe at a glance:

• Prepare jelly if needed- optional.
• Soak and prep some of the dried ingredients. Cook some ingredients separately first.
• Rinse and drain the ingredients.
• Prepare sweet broth adding ingredients in sequence.
• Keep covered for some time before serving.

Here is a list of some of the health benefits of the ingredients used in the Cheng Tng Recipe:

• Sago Pearl: Good source of carbohydrates and provides a quick boost of energy.
• How to cook Sago Pearls:  Never rinse the Sago. Never add to a saucepan of cool water to cook. Only Add the sago directly to a pot of boiling water and then simmer with occasional stirring for up to 15 minutes. Overcooking will cause the sago to disintegrate into the water. After 15 minutes, you must switch off the heat and rest covered for 30 minutes, for the sago to cook properly.
• Konnyakkyu Jelly: High in dietary fiber and helps eliminate harmful matter from the body, helps to normalize blood sugar and cholesterol levels, helps reduce blood pressure.
• How to cook Konnyakkyu Jelly: Follow package instructions, usually involving adding content to boiling water, sometimes additional fruit sugar. cook about 5 minutes. Color and flavor if needed and then pour into molds or tray. Cool till set.
• Pandan Leaves:Used in the treatment of, chest pains, ear pains, headache, arthritis, leprosy. wounds, smallpox, skin problems, gum, and stomach problems,  Good for postnatal care for mothers.
• White Fungus: Also known as White Wood Ear or Tremella Mushroom: Anti Inflammatory, Anti Tumor, helps in the treatment of dry cough and removes heat from lungs, Believed to be a wonder-ingredient to keep skin looking young.
• How to cook White Fungus: Place in hot boiled water for 10015 minutes, till softened. Cut to small pieces and use for soups or stir-fries.
• Red Dates: Known to have high nutrient value, high in vitamin C, a key ingredient to many Chinese herbal concoctions, is said to be for stomach irritability and a beauty aid as it has blood replenishing and enriching properties.
• How to cook Red dates: Rinse under coll water and you can soak them before cooking(optional). Boil for 40 minutes or simmer for 1 hour to cook them.
• Pearl Barley: A good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, energy, and protein.
• How to cook Pearl Barley: Rinse well to remove any impurities and excess starch. Requires about 20 minutes simmering to cook properly.
• Longan: Used to treat insomnia, amnesia, stomach ache, and good for nourishing the blood.
• How to cook Dried Longan: Rinse and simmer about 20 minutes or till rehydrated and plumped up.
• Rock Sugar: Rock Sugar is known for its Mouth Freshening Properties, helps to ward of Laryngyitis, and is good in treating flu and cold paired with herbed tea.
• Pang da Hai /Malva nut: is a traditional herb used in Chinese medicine commonly for sore and dry throat issues  ( including tonsillitis, hoarseness, acute pharyngitis, loss of voice, phlegm, and coughs. ) It can also be used for constipation, headaches, and rashes.
• How to cook Pang da Hai: Soaked in hot water for 15-30 minutes for maximum efficacy.  For the best preparation, do not boil it with the water, but, instead, add it to already boiled water.
• Lotus Seeds: they offer numerous advantages for human health such as improving sleep patterns, promoting weight loss, managing diabetes symptoms, enhancing nervous system activity and slowing down aging. Lotus seeds are an ideal addition to the diet to boost physical and mental wellness.
• How to cook Lotus Seeds: Boil for 20 minutes. do not soak or rinse. Add straight to boiling water.
• Ginko Nuts:   It’s sold mostly as a supplement for memory support or brain health.
• How to cook Ginko Nuts: Similar to Lotus seeds. If vacuum packed, simply rinse well and drain., before adding to the soup.
• Dried sweet Wintermelon  – is laxative, diuretic, and aphrodisiac properties.

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Cheng Tng Recipe – Healthy Asian Dessert!

Ingredients:

• 50 gms White fungus
• 12 larger Malva Nuts / Pang da Hai / Kembang Semangkuk
• ¼ – ½ cup Pearl Barley
• ¼ cup large Sago
• 3 ½ litres of water
• 4 Pandan leaves, knotted
• 50-55 gms Dried Longan
• 12-14 Dried Red Dates
• about ¾ cup Rock Sugar (to taste)
• 1/4 cup candied winter melon strips (you can reduce the sugar, if using this)
• 35 gms/1/3 cup Dried lotus seeds (without skin, usually already cleaned)
• 1/4 cup -1/3 cup Ginkgo nuts ( the pre-boiled vacuum-packed type)
• Optional: Prepared Agar Agar or Konyakku jelly, cut into tiny dice.(Usually for the cold cheng tng dessert only)

If you don’t have all the ingredients, that fine too. Just proceed with the ingredients, you have at hand or like. I sometimes do this with just the white fungus, pangda hai, dried longan, pandan, sugar and sago!

Same Video is on the Recipe page⇑

It is recommended that you open the recipe page and keep this page going if you like to WATCH / LISTEN to the video alongside the written instructions.

Key Ingredients: : White fungus, Malva nut, Longan, Sago, Gingko nuts, Barley, Red dates, Pandan. Rock sugar.

EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried –  Cheng Tng Recipe – Healthy Asian Dessert!