仙草 Cincau

仙草，也称烧仙草、仙草冻、凉粉、黑凉粉、grass jelly，是华南地区著名的甜品。由仙草 ( Mesona chinensis )  制成。仙草收采后晒干、发酵。然后与草木灰 ( potassium carbonate )  同煮、熬出胶质，过滤，加入淀粉使之凝结。

仙草外观褐黑、透明、凝胶状。具清暑，解热利水的功能。主治中暑、热毒、消渴、高血压、肾脏病、糖尿病、关节肌肉疼痛、淋病等。孕妇忌吃。

在印尼，则以Mesona palustris  制 cincau hitam ‘黑仙草’，Melastoma polyanthum 制‘灌木青草’cincau perdu, Cyclea barbata 制 cincau hijau‘绿青草’。

在越南，除了 Mesona chinensis, Tiliacora triandra 亦可制成绿仙草。

Gelatinous Dessert 凝胶状甜点

除了燕菜，类似其凝胶状的食品有仙草，爱玉冰，凉粉等，都是植物天然胶质使其凝固。龟苓膏则由受保护动物金钱龟龟板、土获苓、甘草 等中药制成。而豆花却以盐卤或石膏点卤豆浆凝固。

	thickening agent	animal / plant source
燕菜 agar	植物胶质 gelatin	Gelidium amansii 石花菜, Gracilaria lichenoides 菊花心江蓠, Sphaerococcus compressus
仙草 grass jelly	植物胶质+  淀粉  gelatin + starch	Mesona chinensis, Mesona palustris, Cyclea barbata, Melastoma polyanthum
龟苓膏	胶原蛋白 collagen	Cuora trifasciata 金钱龟
爱玉冰	植物胶质 gelatin	Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang 爱玉子
凉粉	淀粉 starch	Vigna radiata 绿豆
豆花	coagulants ( E509 calcium chloride / E516 calcium sulfate /  E518 magnesium chloride /   E575 gluconolactone )
果冻 jelly	胶原蛋白 collagen	cattle bones, bovine hides, pork skins

Black and White 黑白

黑 Black : Grass jelly凉粉, also know as 仙草, cincau, is a jelly-like dessert made from leaves of Mesona chinensis, of family Lamiaceae. The aged and slightly oxidized stalks and leaves of Mesona chinensis is boiled with potassium carbonate for several hours with a little starch, filtered and then cooling the liquid to a jelly-like consistency. It has slight bitter taste, with a light iodine lavender flavor, with a translucent black appearance. It is mixed in ice kacang and cendol, or consumed with sweetened water as a drink during hot weather.

白 White : Soy Milk 豆浆 is a beverage made from soybeans, Glycine max. It is produced by grinding soybeans with water, the purée is filter to extract the milky solution, then bring it to boil, add sugar for sweetening. It is very much apealing served chilled or hot.

Black and White 黑白 : when black and white mixed, it is one of the most delightful beverage !