Ice Kachang (Singapore Shaved Ice Dessert)
Singapore-style Ice Kachang, a crunchy shaved-ice dessert piled with sweet red beans, attap chee, grass jelly and colourful syrups for a refreshing hawker-centre treat.
About this dish
Ice Kachang is a classic Singapore hawker-centre dessert that brightens hot afternoons and late-night suppers across the island. At heartland kopitiams and bustling hawker centres from Tiong Bahru to the East Coast, stalls pile fluffy shaved ice high and finish it with sweet red beans, corn, attap chee (palm seed) and a drizzle of evaporated or condensed milk. It’s the kind of sugar-hit many Singaporeans grew up on — ideal after a spicy zi char meal or as a cooling break during MRT-commute heat.
The texture is all about contrasts: the crisp, snow-like shaved ice melts against creamy beans and chewy attap chee, while spoonfuls of grass jelly, cendol or jelly cubes introduce soft, bouncy bites. Flavours range from floral rose or sarsi syrups to deep caramel notes from gula melaka syrup — you’ll often see family-style sharing bowls at festive gatherings or kids tucking into individual cups after school. Home cooks often adapt toppings depending on what’s in the pantry or what they pick up from NTUC, Cold Storage or wet market stalls.
This recipe shows how to recreate that hawker-centre experience at home, with options for quick shortcuts like canned red beans and ready-made grass jelly, plus house-made syrups when you fancy a more authentic punch. Whether you’re making a nostalgic supper for family, a weekend cooling treat for guests, or a colourful potluck contribution, Ice Kachang is a versatile, totally Singaporean dessert that’s easy to personalise with local twists like durian, pandan or gula melaka.
Ingredients
- 800 g ice blocks (or enough to make about 6 cups of shaved ice)
- 400 g cooked sweet red beans (adzuki), drained and slightly sweetened
- 200 g canned sweet corn kernels, drained
- 150 g attap chee (palm seed) or canned nata de coco, drained
- 150 g grass jelly, cut into small cubes
- 100 g green cendol or pandan jelly (optional)
- 120 ml gula melaka syrup (see note) or palm sugar syrup
- 80 ml rose syrup or sarsi syrup
- 120 ml evaporated milk
- 60 ml condensed milk (for drizzling, adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1 pandan leaf (for pandan syrup) or 1 tsp pandan extract (optional)
- 50 g jelly cubes or agar-agar pieces (optional for colour/texture)
- Pinch of salt (to balance sweetness)
- Optional: 150 g fresh durian pulp for durian Ice Kachang variation
Step-by-Step Method
- Prepare toppings: if using dried red beans, soak overnight and simmer until soft (about 1–1.5 hours) with 50–80 g sugar; for convenience use canned or pre-cooked sweet red beans from NTUC or Cold Storage and warm through.
- Make gula melaka syrup (if using): combine 200 g grated gula melaka or palm sugar with 100 ml water and a pandan leaf; simmer gently until sugar melts and thickens, then strain and cool. Store in fridge up to 2 weeks.
- Prepare other toppings: drain canned sweet corn, cut grass jelly into cubes, rinse and drain attap chee or nata de coco, and chop roasted peanuts. Keep everything chilled in the fridge for best contrast with the ice.
- Shave the ice: use an ice shaver to make fine, snow-like ice. If you don't have one, pulse ice cubes in a blender or food processor in short bursts until fluffy—avoid running too long or the ice will melt.
- Assemble the base: mound a generous portion of shaved ice into individual bowls or a large sharing bowl. Press lightly so the ice holds shape but remains airy.
- Layer toppings: spoon sweet red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly, attap chee and cendol around and over the ice in colourful sections like a hawker stall would do.
- Add syrups and milk: drizzle gula melaka syrup and rose/sarsi syrup over the ice, then pour evaporated milk and a thin stream of condensed milk to taste. Start conservatively — you can always add more.
- Finish with crunch: sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts on top for texture and add any optional jelly cubes or durian pulp at this stage for variations.
- Serve immediately: Ice Kachang is best eaten right away while the shaved ice is still fluffy. Provide long-handled spoons so diners can scoop through layers of toppings.
- Taste and adjust: if the bowl needs more sweetness or depth, add a splash more gula melaka or condensed milk, similar to how hawkers quickly adjust flavours at the stall.
- Make-ahead notes: prepare syrups and cooked toppings up to 2–3 days ahead and chill. Only shave the ice and assemble right before serving to keep the perfect texture.
Tips & Serving Ideas
- Buy ready-cooked toppings: canned red beans, grass jelly and attap chee at NTUC FairPrice or Cold Storage save time while still delivering authentic hawker flavours.
- Use an ice shaver for the fluffiest texture; if using a blender, pulse in short bursts over ice cubes to avoid melting into slush.
- Adjust sweetness by adding syrups and condensed milk a little at a time — Singapore hawkers often balance floral rose syrup with deep gula melaka for complexity.
- For pandan aroma without pandan leaf, use pandan extract available at local supermarkets or Malay grocers in the heartlands.
- Make syrups and cook red beans a day ahead to let flavours develop; store in the fridge and assemble the ice just before serving.
- To lower sugar, swap condensed milk for a light drizzle of evaporated milk and reduce syrup quantities; add a pinch of salt to enhance the overall flavour.
- Try variations: add fresh mango or durian pulp for seasonal twists — durian Ice Kachang is popular with fans of the king of fruits.
- Takeaway tip: if packing for a picnic, pack toppings and syrup separately and bring a small manual ice shaver or crushed ice in an insulated container to assemble on site.
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