Need something simple, really cool and refreshing? How about the cheaper but no less tasty version of ice cream? Yes, I’m talking flavored shaved ice. It’s easy and fun to do. ABC, short for “air batu campur”, is the Malaysian version of the popular flavored shaved ice. “Air batu” is Malay for “stone water” and refers to blocks of ice, while “campur” means “mixed”. The basic ingredients of ABC would consist of crushed ice, a gelatinous substance, some nuts, and a syrup. Today’s more sophisticated versions are just variations of the basic ABC formula.

Common gelatinous substances used in ABC are “cincau” and “cendol”. “Cincau”, usually translucent black in color, is made by boiling stems and leaves of Mesona chinensis (a member of the mint family) with potassium carbonate, then chilling it in cubes. After being cut into smaller cubes, the jelly is popularly consumed with a syrup drink and is a must during the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan. By itself, the jelly has a slightly bitter taste, but it is favored for its cooling properties.

“Cendol” is a traditional dessert that is made up of coconut milk, a worm-shaped jelly made from rice flour with green dye, shaved ice, and palm sugar. Palm sugar, made from the sugary sap of the date palm, is chosen for its rich caramel flavor. This gives the dessert a unique creamy sugary flavor. “Cendol” just isn’t “cendol” without the worm-shaped green jelly, as shaved ice, coconut milk, and palm sugar are common main ingredients for other traditional Malaysian desserts.

A variety of syrups, particularly the rose-flavoured kind, and palm sugar are the main sweeteners, while evaporated or condensed milk was later added to give ABC an additional creamy flavour. Another name for ABC is “Ice Kacang”, which means “Ice Nuts” in Malay. This was probably due to the presence of roasted peanuts and kidney beans.

Flavored shaved ice is not only popular in Malaysia but throughout Asia. It is called Kakigori in Japan, Halo Halo in the Philippines, Bingsu in South Korea, and Baobing in Taiwan. So how are ice chips made? In the 1960s and 1970s, street vendors used a hand-cranked ice-cutting machine to turn large blocks of ice into snowflake-like shavings of ice. Today, the most sophisticated machines produce finer and finer ice chips.

ABC recipe (ice kacang) (serves 1):

1 cup of ice cubes or crushed ice.

Syrup:

• Any local brand rose flavored syrup (F&N or others) or Hershey’s strawberry flavored syrup.
• Palm sugar (if available).

Coverages:

• 1 tablespoon condensed milk or evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon canned kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon canned sweet corn
• 1 tablespoon of “cincau” (grass jelly) pieces
• 1 tablespoon “cendol” (if available)
• 1 teaspoon of roasted peanuts

Method:

• Prepare the shaved ice using an ice shaver machine or blender.
• Transfer shaved ice to a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of syrup, followed by all topping ingredients. Serve immediately.

There are many versions of ABC, limited only by your imagination. Feel free to experiment and discover the wonder of ABC. Simply delicious!