Pandan Water Chestnut Jelly - Jelly #1

I saw this green thing dessert at a dimsum shop. I was curious and so I ordered one serving. To my surprise it was waterchestnut ‘cake’ that wasn’t made of waterchestnut flour and instead was made with konnyaku jelly. It also has some canned tropical fruit chunks in it and so it didn’t taste much of waterchestnut.

I came home, planning to replicate it, without the pineapple. I hoped I could go without food colouring, but the whole thing turned very dull and unappealing after I added citric acid. I put in 2 drops of food colouring to brighten up the green. If you ask me whether the citric acid can be omitted, Hmm..since I wasn’t using any canned fruits, it’s a must. Canned fruits usually have citric acid added in, so, it’s ok to omit any additional citric acid especially if you’re going to use the syrup from the can too. Konnyaku needs something acidic to aid in the setting..if not, it’ll be rather wobbly. Lime or lemon juice is not suitable here, I feel because it will give the jelly a light tang. That is why I chose to use citric acid. You can use malic acid if you want.
I made this for some guests who came to my house. My attempt used 250gm of sugar as said on the packaging, but personally I find it too sweet. I recommend 200gm instead.

Pandan Water Chestnut Jelly
by WendyinKK 

8 water chestnuts, chopped
3 cups water (750ml)
200gm fine granulated sugar
10gm konnyaku powder
¼ tsp citric acid
1 cup pandan juice (from 1 cup snipped pandan leaves + 1 cup water)
1-2 drop green colouring (optional)
1 egg white

1. Bring water and waterchestnuts to a boil.
2. Meanwhile mix sugar and konnyaku powder. Spoon and sprinkle in the sugar mixture into the boiling waterchesnuts. Stir to make sure everything is dissolved.
3. Put in pandan juice. Bring everything back to a boil. Lower to medium heat (just enough heat to keep it at a boil, but not enough to overflow)
4. Put in citric acid. (The green hue of the pandan will turn dull). Add in food colouring to your preference.
5. Beat egg white and slowly drizzle in (stir all the time as your drizzle the egg white in).
6. Turn off the heat and pour into the mould to set.