Ingredients
The jug
- 200 mlrose syrup (sirap bandung)
- 400 mlevaporated milk
- 600 mlcold water
- ice cubes
Optional
- a scoop of grass jelly (cincau), cubed
- a few drops of rose water
Directions
- Stir the rose syrup and the cold water together first, until the syrup is fully dispersed and the colour is even.
- Add the evaporated milk and stir gently. Pouring milk into undiluted syrup can make it look curdled and streaky, which is why the water goes in first.
- Taste and adjust: it should be milky pink, clearly sweet and unmistakably floral, but not perfumed to the point of tasting soapy. Add rose water a drop at a time if at all.
- Chill thoroughly, at least an hour. Bandung is served properly cold and dilutes badly if you rely on ice alone.
- Pour over ice into tall glasses. Add cubes of grass jelly at the bottom for the version sold at hawker stalls.
- Stir once at the table and drink cold.
Technique
- Evaporated milk, not fresh milk or cream. The slight cooked note and the body are what make it bandung rather than pink milk.
- The name comes from the Malay for pairing or mixing, not from the Indonesian city.
- Ratios vary by stall; roughly one part syrup, two parts milk, three parts water is a good starting point.
Substitutions
- Condensed milk in place of evaporated, with the sugar in the syrup reduced accordingly.
- Soy milk for a dairy-free version, which is common in Singapore.
Variations
- Bandung soda, topped with sparkling water instead of still.
- Bandung cincau, with grass jelly, the most common hawker version.
History
A Malay drink of Singapore’s hawker centres and Ramadan bazaars, named from a word meaning mixed.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bandung?
Bandung is a drink from Singapore: evaporated milk turned bright pink with rose syrup and served over ice. A Malay drink of Singapore’s hawker centres and Ramadan bazaars, named from a word meaning mixed.
How long does Bandung take to make?
Bandung takes 5 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 4 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Bandung?
Yes, within limits. Condensed milk in place of evaporated, with the sugar in the syrup reduced accordingly. Soy milk for a dairy-free version, which is common in Singapore.
What is the most important thing to get right in Bandung?
Add the evaporated milk and stir gently. Pouring milk into undiluted syrup can make it look curdled and streaky, which is why the water goes in first.