Ice Kachang

The word Kachang (also spelt as kacang sometimes) means beans in Malay. In essence, this phrase would translate as Ice on Beans. This essentially describes the entire dish. Also known as "Ais Kacang", Ice Kacang is traditionally served in a shallow bowl and shaped up to appear like a mountain on a small bowl. The syrups not only add more color but also flavor to this simple and yet exquisite ice dessert.

The main components of this authentic Singapore dessert are

**Soft Shaved Ice that melts in your mouth

**Flavored syrups

**Different types of beans and corn.

**Carnation Milk (also known as evaporated milk).

While the original dish only used red beans, this great dessert has evolved to include delicious items like aloe vera jelly, sweet corn, grass jelly and palm seeds. Coconut milk or condensed milk could also be added to this lovely dessert.

Back in Singapore, this was a dish that we could enjoy at almost any food centre or hawker stall while we are in the midst of running around our daily routine. This lovely ice dessert is also widely available in Malaysia.

But if you do not live in areas where they sell this, you could recreate them in your own homes. Most of the syrups, beans, jellies and seeds used are commonly available in most Asian marts.

Image Credit: Krista