Grass jelly, also known as leaf jelly or herb jelly, is a jelly-like dessert originating from China. It is commonly consumed in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is created by using Chinese mesona and has a mild, slightly bitter taste. Grass jelly was invented by the Hakka people who historically used the food to alleviate heat stroke after long days working in the field. The dish was introduced to Southeast Asia by the Chinese diaspora. It is served chilled, with other toppings such as fruit, or in bubble tea or other drinks. Outside Asia, it is sold in Asian supermarkets.
Pieces of grass jelly cut into ~1 cm cubes
Green grass jelly
Chaokuai sold on the Sunday Walking Street market in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Es Cincau, Indonesian beverage made from Platostoma palustre plant
Bubble tea is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Taiwanese immigrants brought it to the United States in the 1990s, initially in California through regions including Los Angeles County, but the drink has also spread to other countries where there is a large East Asian diaspora population.
A paper straw for bubble tea compared with a more typical plastic straw
Tapioca (boba)
Bubble tea packaged in a promotional shape (lightbulb) instead of a takeaway cup
