Refreshing with jelly

(VHQN) - The early summer sun is intense and humid. A cup of wobbly, melting jelly will help refresh and soothe the body.

The grass jelly is refreshingly cool.

With its refreshing flavor and characteristic chewy texture, jelly has long been a favorite refreshing treat in many families.

My family has young children, and we live in a rural area, so we always prioritize jellies made from plants and leaves that are harvested entirely from nature.

We climbed the low hill west of the village to pick a handful of bright green, heart-shaped leaves. These were sương sâm (a type of climbing vine), a hardy plant that grows abundantly in the reddish-sandy soil at the edge of the forest.

After harvesting, the sương sâm leaves are washed and thoroughly crushed. This mixture is then filtered through a cloth to remove foam and leaf residue. After just a few hours at room temperature, the sương sâm juice naturally solidifies into soft, translucent, moss-green jelly-like blocks. A subtle, refreshing herbal aroma fills the entire house.

To enhance the flavor of the jelly, you can add some rock sugar syrup, a little coconut milk, and a few teaspoons of basil seeds or chia seeds. The subtly sweet taste, delicate aroma, and refreshing coolness help soothe the sweltering heat of summer days.

The hot weather is delicious, like eating jelly, and as easy to swallow as eating jelly. The piece of jelly melts in your mouth before you even have a chance to chew. The jelly disappears, but the refreshing coolness lingers on your tongue and palate. Your whole body suddenly feels refreshed, relaxed, and more invigorated.

Recently, I've added ripe fig jelly to my family's list of refreshing treats. The preparation is as simple as making grass jelly. Ripe red figs, after being peeled and cored, are soaked in diluted salt water. Then, they are placed in a clean cloth, tied tightly, and immersed in a bowl containing a moderate amount of water, and squeezed until smooth. The juice released from the figs is left for several hours to solidify into jelly.

Fig jelly has a slightly sour taste, a pure aroma, and dissolves and separates more easily than most other types of jelly. Fig jelly is best enjoyed with rock sugar syrup and shaved ice. This dish is exclusively available during the summer, as figs are ripe during this season.

Summer is the season for jelly, and that's absolutely true. With simple recipes and readily available ingredients, a whole range of jelly desserts have emerged, from agar jelly, grass jelly, coconut jelly, aloe vera jelly, grass jelly, and various fruit jellies…

And no matter what kind of jelly it is, to achieve the perfect balance of flavors, the maker usually can't do without familiar "accessories": rock sugar syrup, coconut milk, basil seeds, lemon juice, or honey.

The delicate sweetness with a hint of sourness will highlight the soft, crunchy texture of each piece of jelly, creating a cool, refreshing combination that soothes and calms the mind. From harshness and discomfort, the body suddenly becomes gentle.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/thanh-mat-cung-thach-3156196.html