Ice Kacang

This is the classic Malaysian dessert that everyone loves especially on a hot day. The Ice Kacang (Malay for Peanut Ice) is also known as an ABC aka Air Batu Campur (Malay for Mixed Ice). Essentially, it is a mound of shaved ice packed on top of a mixture of sweet red beans, toasted peanuts, creamed corn and jelly bits. The ice is flavoured with syrup and a mixture of evaporated and condensed milk.

Like any classic dish, there are so many versions as you can vary the syrups, milk and the mixture according to personal taste. Some interesting combinations I have tasted and seen are; sliced bananas in Penang Swatow Lane's version, a scoop of ice-cream to add creaminess to the dessert, sweet Atap Chee (sugar palm seeds) and pureed durian flesh for those who want a bit of adventure. Throughout Asia, the dessert is also known as halo-halo in Phillipines, ruam mit in Thailand and three bean drink in Vietnam with a combination of toppings and syrups to suit local tastes.

Usually the ones you get have lashings of red rose syrup and milk but I am partial to the kind that just uses the brown palm sugar syrup and a splash of evaporated milk like this one below which is found in the old Medan Selera, Petaling Jaya. The shaved ice is so fine that when you put it into your mouth, it melts to give you a creamy and ice cold taste.



There are two ways to eat your Ice Kacang, you can eat just the ice first savouring the creaminess just like how I do it. Alternatively, you can mash up the ice into the mixture so everthing is mixed up as seen below. For me, I do both; eat the ice until the top of the bowl, then mash it in so it becomes an icy soupy dessert with yummy bits inside. This version has toasted peanuts, some green cendol bits, red jelly bits, sweetcorn, bits of grass jelly (cincau) and sweet red beans.

*Gerai Minuman Kim Lain
Stall 38, Taman Selera
Jalan Othman
Petaling Jaya

* There are two stalls serving this version in the Medan Selera, the other one is at the opposite side of this stall and they both flank the chicken rice stall, Kie Kie. This stall's quality of shaved ice can be erratic especially when the old man is not around to serve it. For a more consistent one, you can try the opposite end's stall.

**Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review