Country Reviews: The best Chendol in the World

I am sure there are some of you who travel around the world to scour for only the best sweet delights it has to offer. Today, I will be introducing to you a traditional dessert which recipes have been passed down from the ages - the Chendol

The Chendol is a traditional sweet dessert originating from parts of South East Asia. It is also popular today in those parts of the world, with countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia raving for it. To create a pristine Chendol, you would need some ingredients like:

Coconut Milk

Shaven Ice

Red Beans

Flour Jelly (with green food colouring to give it the authentic look)

and Palm Sugar

These five are only the most basic ingredients and experts put in corn and grass jelly to give it that extra "oophm". In some modernized countries like Singapore or Malaysia, you may be able to find Chendol topped with Ice-Cream or Durian. This will give the Chendol another dimension of taste compared to the old traditional one.

However, out of all the Chendol which I had tasted in South East Asia, there is one place where I find that it serves the best Chendol - Penang.

This Chendol (or Chendul as the sign says) is tucked in a small corner in Penang near the Keng Kwee Street. To get there, just tell your taxi driver (taxi is the preferred mode of transport for tourists) that you want to taste the best Chendol. They know their island well and will immediately guide you here.

For only 2 Ringgit which is less than an American dollar, you will be able to savoury this sweet dessert. The store is usually packed with mountains of people, meaning that you will have to stand while eating as the tables surrounding the store is often full.

 

However, be warned that if cleanliness is your biggest issue, this stall lack some of it. The owner operates at a lightning speed that some of the coconut milk will spill out of your bowl. However, it is not a problem to me  for that the buttery and smooth texture of the soup itself is worth it, coupled with the sensational feeling of biting into the red beans that surround the watery mixture.

So if you are visting Penang or any of the nearby states, be sure to head on down to the famous Penang Chendol Store, located off Penang Road, on Keng Kwee Road (Lebuh Keng Kwee in Malay).