If you don’t know what agar agar jelly is you need to try it out! In Vietnamese cuisine, we use agar agar in place of gelatin. The texture can be a little bit more crunchy than gelatinous when eaten.
And what’s even better? It’s completely vegan! Agar agar is derived from seaweed so it’s super safe for the vegetarians and vegans alike!
Thạch Dừa is a coconut layer dessert. We’re using coconut almost 3 ways here. We’re using fresh coconut, coconut juice, as well as coconut milk! So it’s like the perfect summer dessert! What’s even better? It’s super easy to put together!
You can easily fill multiple coconuts with the mixture but you can even put it in a pan or a tray to make it easier. The recipe is below!
A Refreshing Coconut Dessert: Thạch Dừa (Vietnamese Coconut Jelly)
Course: RecipesCuisine: asian, vietnameseDifficulty: easy4
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
2 1/2 tsp agar agar
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 fresh coconuts
2 cups coconut water
2 cups coconut soda (coco rico brand)
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut (sliced)
Directions
- Prepare the Coconut: Using the backside of a heavy clever, start by carefully banging around the circumference of the coconut. Keep whacking while rotating until the coconut splits. Pour out and strain the juice (you may have to do this a few times). Cut the coconut into small pieces. If using coconut juice with pieces, simply skip this step.
- Prepare the Mixture: In a small saucepan, combine the agar agar, coconut water and coconut soda, letting the agar bloom for 5 mins before mixing. Gradually whisk in the sugar until everything is fully dissolved. Bring to a boil for 4-5 minutes whisking the entire time. Scoop 1 cup of coconut mixture and set aside. Remove pot from heat, add in the coconut slices.
- Pour in first Layer: Pour the rest of the clear mixture into a mold. Place into fridge and let it set until it’s semi-sticky to touch (about 18-20 mins).
- Prepare the Coconut Milk Mixture: Combine coconut milk with 1 cup of coconut mixture that you set aside earlier. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes and the simmer on low until the clear layer is ready. Pour over a spoon gently on top of clear layer. Place in fridge to set to 2-3 hours. Cut into desire shapes.
