Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Cheng Tng (Hot & Cold)

A Singapore-style cheng tng — a comforting sweet soup of barley, white fungus, dried longan and sea coconut, served hot or chilled as a hawker-centre classic.

Cheng Tng (Hot & Cold)

About this dish

Cheng Tng (also spelled cheng teng) is one of those nostalgic desserts Singaporeans reach for after a heavy zi char dinner or during a humid afternoon in the heartland. At kopitiams and hawker centres from Tiong Bahru to Bedok, vendors ladle out bowls bubbling with sweet broth, chewy sea coconut, soft barley and bits of candied winter melon — and many homes keep a pot simmering for supper and kuih runs. This recipe captures that hawker-centre style, with options to serve piping hot for rainy nights or iced and refreshing for steamy afternoons.

Texture is the star here: the pearl barley gives a gentle bite, white fungus adds a silky chew, lotus seeds and ginkgo lend body and chew, while dried longan and rock sugar deepen the sweetness. The cold version gets shaved ice or chilled broth, transforming the same ingredients into a cooling dessert perfect for post-bak kwa runs during Chinese New Year or as a light finish to a family-style dinner.

This Singapore Chinese take keeps things flexible for the home cook — use dried pantry staples from NTUC FairPrice or Cold Storage, swap in canned sea coconut when fresh is hard to find, and adjust rock sugar to your taste. It’s a great make-ahead dessert: simmer gently, chill, and serve from the fridge for supper or pack into tiffin boxes for a nostalgic lunch treat.

Ingredients

  • 200 g pearl barley (munguk/barley), rinsed
  • 30 g dried white fungus (tremella), soaked until soft, tough stem removed
  • 50 g dried longan (or 1 can longan in syrup, drained)
  • 60 g dried lotus seeds, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes if old
  • 100 g sea coconut (teng), fresh or canned, drained and sliced
  • 8–10 dried red dates (jujubes), halved and pips removed
  • 40 g dried gingko nuts (optional), peeled
  • 1.5–2 L water
  • 120–150 g rock sugar (adjust to taste) or palm sugar (gula melaka) for a deeper flavour
  • 2 pandan leaves, bruised and tied in a knot
  • 1 small piece candied winter melon (about 50 g), julienned (traditional; optional)
  • Pinch of salt (to balance sweetness)
  • Ice cubes or crushed/shaved ice (for cold serving)
  • Optional: 1 tbsp sago, cooked and rinsed for extra chewiness

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Rinse the pearl barley and soak the dried lotus seeds and white fungus (if using) for 20–30 minutes; drain and tear the softened white fungus into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Bring 1.5–2 L water to a rapid boil in a large pot over high heat, then add the rinsed barley. Boil on high for 5 minutes to release starch and fluff, then lower heat to a gentle simmer.
  3. Skim any foam from the surface (this keeps the broth clear), then add the soaked lotus seeds, pandan leaves and lower to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 25–30 minutes until barley and lotus seeds start to soften.
  4. Add the white fungus, dried red dates and dried longan; continue to simmer on low for another 20–25 minutes until all ingredients are tender — you should see the barley plump and the fungus turn translucent.
  5. If using gingko nuts or candied winter melon and sea coconut, add them in the last 10–12 minutes of simmering so they remain texturally distinct.
  6. Taste the broth and stir in rock sugar a little at a time until you reach the desired sweetness; add a small pinch of salt to balance the flavours. Keep the heat low so the sugar melts evenly.
  7. For the hot version: ladle straight into warm bowls and serve immediately, with a pandan knot for aroma if you like. For the cold version: cool the pot to room temperature, transfer to the fridge to chill, or ladle into bowls over shaved/crushed ice right before serving.
  8. If using sago, cook separately according to package instructions until translucent, rinse under cold water, then add to bowls for extra chew before serving cold.
  9. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently on low for the hot version. Add a splash of water when reheating if the soup has thickened.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy dried ingredients like longan, lotus seeds and white fungus at Sheng Siong wet markets or Cold Storage; canned longan and canned sea coconut from NTUC FairPrice are good quick substitutes.
  • To speed up cooking, pre-soak barley and lotus seeds overnight or use a pressure cooker to reduce simmering time — 10–12 minutes at high pressure.
  • Adjust sweetness to your taste: Singapore hawker cheng tng tends to be mildly sweet; start with less rock sugar and add more after tasting.
  • For a true hawker-centre finish, add candied winter melon and a few drops of pandan-infused syrup; for the cold version, serve over shaved ice for a refreshing contrast.
  • Reheat gently on low to avoid breaking down the textures. If the broth thickens in the fridge, loosen with a little hot water before serving hot.
  • If you prefer a clearer broth, skim foam during the first boil and strain excess starch from the barley by briefly rinsing under running water after the initial boil.

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