A drink called Michael Jackson and more cultural exchange

Malaysia is famous for its food and where there is good food, there must also be good drinks! One of the favourite beverages here is Soya Milk. You can get Soya milk in cartons and you can also get it fresh from roadside hawker stalls. Some stalls sell them in plastic bottles too and you can get the milk sweetened or unsweetened.

A couple of years back, an interesting drink started to appear in many coffee shop and restaurant menus - Michael Jackson. My son loves this drink and it has nothing to do with the fact that his name is Michael!

So what exactly is a Michael Jackson? Well, it is Soya Milk with Cincau - otherwise known as Grass Jelly or Black Jelly. I'm not exactly sure what Cincau is made out of but a quick check on Google shows that it is a jelly made from boiling the aged and slightly oxidized stalks and leaves of Mesona chinensis - some sort of mint like plant.

There is also another drink called Cincau which is simply Cincau with sugared water. Cincau is also used in other desserts like Ais Kacang (Shaved Ice with syrup and a whole host of beans and nuts) and many more.

I've also got no idea why this drink is called Michael Jackson. Maybe it has something to do with his song Black or White as the drink is a mix of Black and White? Who knows?



I understand that many Asian stores in Australia, UK and even the USA sell Cincau (Black Jelly/Grass Jelly) in cans so I'm providing this recipe for all of you that want to try and sample a Michael Jackson.

Ingredients
Soya Milk
Cincau (Grass Jelly / Black Jelly)
Method
Dice the black jelly and set aside
Fill a glass with Soya Bean Milk and sweeten to taste. Add in the Cincau and lots of ice.

See how Michael is enjoying his Michael Jackson?!
Its a very refreshing drink and very tasty too. Serve it with a spoon to scoop out the jelly Try it, I'm sure your kids will love it - maybe even you will!