📝 About This Recipe
A quintessential Indonesian thirst-quencher, Es Kelapa Muda is the ultimate tropical escape in a glass. This recipe elevates the humble street-side classic by infusing fresh young coconut water with a homemade aromatic pandan syrup and adding delightful textures like basil seeds and grass jelly. It's a perfect balance of hydrating coconut water, nutty soft meat, and floral sweetness that defines the refreshing spirit of the archipelago.
🥗 Ingredients
The Coconut Foundation
- 2 pieces Young Coconuts (freshly opened, water reserved)
- 2 coconuts Coconut Meat (scraped into thin strips)
Homemade Pandan Syrup
- 200 g Granulated Sugar
- 150 ml Water
- 3 pieces Pandan Leaves (tied into a knot)
- 1 pinch Salt (to balance the sweetness)
Texture and Add-ins
- 1 tablespoon Selasih (Basil Seeds) (soaked in warm water until bloomed)
- 100 g Cincau Hitam (Grass Jelly) (cut into small cubes)
- 100 g Nata de Coco (drained)
- 2 pieces Fresh Lime (one juiced, one sliced for garnish)
Serving Essentials
- 500 g Ice Cubes (crushed or cubed)
- 4 tablespoons Sweetened Condensed Milk (optional, for a creamy finish)
- 4 sprigs Fresh Mint (for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Carefully open the young coconuts by hacking off the top; pour the fresh coconut water through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher to remove any husk fragments.
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2
Using a metal spoon or a traditional coconut scraper, gently carve out the soft, translucent coconut meat in long, thin strips and set aside in a small bowl.
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3
Prepare the pandan syrup by combining the sugar, 150ml water, and knotted pandan leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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4
Stir the syrup mixture constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved, then let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened and highly fragrant.
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5
Remove the syrup from the heat, discard the pandan leaves, and allow the liquid to cool completely to room temperature before using.
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6
In a small bowl, soak the basil seeds (selasih) in warm water for about 5 minutes until they develop a gelatinous coating and double in size.
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7
Prepare the grass jelly by cutting it into uniform 1cm cubes and rinse the nata de coco to remove any excess syrup from the package.
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8
In your large pitcher of coconut water, stir in the cooled pandan syrup and the juice of one lime, adjusting the sweetness to your preference.
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9
To assemble, take four tall serving glasses and fill each about halfway with ice cubes.
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10
Distribute the scraped coconut meat, grass jelly cubes, nata de coco, and bloomed basil seeds evenly among the four glasses.
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11
Pour the flavored coconut water mixture over the toppings until the glasses are full, leaving a small gap at the top.
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12
For those who enjoy a richer drink, drizzle one tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk over the top of each glass for a beautiful marbled effect.
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13
Garnish each glass with a slice of lime and a sprig of fresh mint to add a burst of color and aroma.
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14
Serve immediately with a long spoon and a wide straw so guests can enjoy both the refreshing liquid and the textured toppings.
💡 Chef's Tips
Choose young coconuts with green husks that feel heavy for their size, as they contain more water; the meat should be soft, not hard. If you cannot find fresh pandan leaves, a single drop of pandan extract can be used in the syrup, but fresh is always superior for aroma. Always wait for the syrup to cool before adding it to the coconut water to maintain the fresh, crisp taste of the coconut. For a pink version (Es Kelapa Muda Merah), substitute the pandan syrup with Indonesian Coco Pandan syrup (Siroop ABC). Bruise the pandan leaves with the back of a knife before knotting them to release more of their natural oils into the syrup.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pairs beautifully with spicy Indonesian street foods like Bakwan Sayur (vegetable fritters) or Satay Ayam. Serve alongside a spicy Nasi Goreng (fried rice) to help soothe the palate between bites. Excellent as a cooling beverage for outdoor summer BBQs or garden parties. Add a few pieces of diced fresh jackfruit or mango for an extra layer of tropical flavor. For a festive look, serve the drink directly inside the hollowed-out coconut shell.