Cheng Tng – Healthy Singapore Dessert

®This is a RAS signature Recipe©

The healthy Dessert Soup, called Cheng Tng is a favorite across Singapore

The Recipe Intro↓ has more information, details on the health benefits of the ingredients, related links as well same Recipe Video. If you’d like to check it out.

♦Prep time 20 minutes ♦Cook time:1 hour ♦ 3 litre pot

You can strike through ingredients, as you prep them, by clicking on the ingredient.

Ingredients:

White fungus		50 gms
Malva Nuts / Pang da Hai / Kembang Semangkuk		12 larger nuts
Dried Longan		50-55 gms
Pearl Barley		¼ - ½ cup
Large Sago		¼ cup
Dried Red Dates		12-14
Pandan leaves, knotted		4
Rock Sugar (to taste)		1/2- ¾ cup
Dried lotus seeds (without skin, usually already cleaned)		1/3 cup(35 gms)
Ginkgo nuts ( the pre-boiled vacuum-packed type)		1/4 cup - 1/3 cup
Candied winter melon strips (you can reduce the sugar, if using this)		1/4 cup
Prepared Agar Agar or Konyakku jelly, cut into tiny dice.(Usually for the cold cheng tng dessert only) - OPTIONAL		1 packet
Water		3 ½ litres

Method:

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

1. Optional: Prepare the Jelly of choice according to packet instructions. Pour into a shallow tray and place outside at room temperature, until set. Then place in the fridge to chill.  (According to individual package instructions. I am just stating an outline). You can pour an excess amount (if any)  into molds with fruit and serve it separately. When the jelly is completely chilled, cut into very small dice. The jelly is usually added to cold cheng tng, as the hot cheng will melt it.
2. Do not soak the Large Sago, or even rinse them. Instead, bring a saucepan of water to boil and then add directly to boiling water. Boil on medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep covered for 30 minutes.
3. In two separate bowls, soak the White fungus and Pang da hai in hot water.
4. For Pang da hai – 10 -15 minutes or till completely softened. It will grow into looking like something that totally lives under the sea. 🙂 Remove the seed and the skin from the soaked mixture and keep only the ‘jelly-like part.
5. For Dried fungus – Soak in Hot Water for 10 minutes or more depending on size. Cut off the central yellowish and hard parts on the underside. Discard. Chop the cleaned, soaked fungus into very small pieces.
6. Do not soak the Dried lotus seeds or even rinse them. Instead, bring a saucepan of water to boil and then add directly to boiling water. Boil on medium heat for 20 minutes, to get cooked, fluffy lotus seeds, that melt in the mouth. Pry open and remove the green center(the germ) and pith if present, this is bitter.
7. For the Ginko nuts, (I always use the precooked, vacuum-packed ones), just rinse them well. The central pith, if present must be removed. You can also remove this using thin wooden skewers and don’t need to halve them in that case. If you are using the dried ones, cracking open the shell, peeling, boiling like for the dried lotus seeds, and again removing the pith, would be in order. Ginko nuts need only 10 – 12 minutes of boiling.
8. Wash the Barley thoroughly 2-3 times, thoroughly, to remove impurities and the starch. (to keep the soup clear). Drain and set aside.
9. Rinse all the dry ingredients (Red dates, Longan) and drain. No soaking is required in this recipe, as there is sufficient cooking time involved.
10. Add the water(3 1/2 liters) to a large pot and bring to a boil.
11. Add the knotted pandan leaves, red dates, the cut-up (soaked) dry fungus, and barley. Bring to a boil again, on high.
12. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
13. Now add the rock sugar,  dried longan, cooked lotus seeds, cooked ginkgo nuts and simmer for another 15 minutes. (You may also add, later; dried persimmon, candied winter melon, or sweet potato to sweeten the broth naturally. Reduce the amount of rock sugar in this case). Stir occasionally.
14. Once the rock sugar is completely dissolved ( you know when you can stir the bottom of the pot and no longer hear the crackling noise of the rock sugar hitting the floor of the pot)
15. The soaked pang da hai is also added towards the end, before covering and does not require boiling. I add it a few minutes before turning the heat off. I also usually add the soaking liquid, as it has color, flavor, and scent.
16. Add the cooked sago (strained from its water),  last, and turn off the heat. Cover the pot for another 15-20 minutes. (◊Sago if cooked along with the soup will turn the soup a little whiter and starchier, which is why we have cooked it separately. It is also more difficult to ensure that the sago cooks properly. For Cheng tng the sago can stay a little white at the center and not be fully translucent, like for other desserts. Just make sure it is cooked tender) When the sago is added at the end of the cooking and rested another 15-20 minutes as we do here, the center will continue to soften a bit.
17. You can serve it warm or cold. Add the diced jelly cubes, once the cheng tng is cooled.
18. Enjoy this healthy dessert from Lion City.

Cheng Tng – Healthy Singapore Dessert

 

Notes:

• All ingredients can be purchased from the ‘Dried Goods’ section of your Asian Supermarket or the Asian food section. They are also available at Asian Herbal Stores. Some will be available in the refrigerated section, near fresh peeled garlic and ginger.
• Sago must be cooked separately to keep the Cheng tng – broth clear.  To cook, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. THEN add the Sago pearls and lower heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and keep covered till most of the white-colored part of the sago pearls has also gone translucent and are tender to eat.
• Some people like to add brown sugar along with rock sugar. Adjust to taste.

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

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