Ingredients
Drink
- 250 mlcold unsweetened soy milk
- 150 gblack grass jelly, cincau, cut into cubes
- 2 tbspsugar syrup, to taste
Also
- ice cubes
Optional
- a squeeze of lime
- extra grass jelly, shredded
Directions
- Cut the grass jelly into small cubes, about 1 cm, or shred it through a coarse grater.
- Cut it small enough to come up a straw, because the whole point is drinking the jelly with the milk rather than fishing for it.
- Chill both the soy milk and the jelly thoroughly before assembling. Everything must be properly cold.
- Put the grass jelly cubes into the bottom of a tall glass. Add ice on top of the jelly rather than underneath it.
- Pour the cold soy milk slowly over the back of a spoon so it sits above the dark jelly. Pouring slowly keeps the two layers distinct for a moment, which is the black and white the drink is named for.
- Stir it at the table to make the marbled swirl, which is half the pleasure of ordering it.
- Serve immediately with a wide straw. It is drunk at hawker centres and kopitiams across Singapore and Malaysia, usually alongside a plate of something hot.
Technique
- Michael Jordan is the same idea with soy milk and barley water instead.
- Freshly made soy milk from a hawker stall is far better than long-life cartons.
- Grass jelly is sold in Chinese supermarkets in tins and in ready-cut tubs.
Substitutions
- Ready-cut grass jelly from a tub, drained.
- Any unsweetened soy milk, or fresh tau huay water.
Variations
- Michael Jordan, with barley water.
- With soy bean curd, tau huay, blended in.
- Made with less sugar, which most stalls will do on request.
History
A hawker-centre drink named for its black-and-white layering, ordered by that name at Singapore drinks stalls.
Frequently asked questions
What is Michael Jackson?
Michael Jackson is a drink from Singapore: cold soy milk poured over black grass jelly, stirred to a marbled swirl. A hawker-centre drink named for its black-and-white layering, ordered by that name at Singapore drinks stalls.
How long does Michael Jackson take to make?
Michael Jackson takes 5 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 1 glass. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Michael Jackson?
Yes, within limits. Ready-cut grass jelly from a tub, drained. Any unsweetened soy milk, or fresh tau huay water.
What is the most important thing to get right in Michael Jackson?
Cut it small enough to come up a straw, because the whole point is drinking the jelly with the milk rather than fishing for it.
