I visited a friend’s house to celebrate early Mother’s Day, where I baked a cake and brought ice. We have Malaysian food, especially from Penang. My friend use her vintage ice kachang maker and lent us an old plastic version for everyone to try. I was the first to use it before it broke while reaching the last friend.

“A plastic ice kachang maker is a lightweight, manual tool for shaving ice to make Ais Kacang, a popular Southeast Asian dessert. Unlike heavy-duty stainless steel versions, these portable plastic models are affordable and designed for home use, featuring a hand-cranked mechanism and stainless steel blades that create fine, snowy ice. They are specifically made to achieve the desired “snowflake” texture, essential for the dessert, which is often topped with coloured syrups, condensed milk, red beans, and jelly.”

I only have a few ingredients in mine. Couldn’t find attap chee (palm nuts). I am happy to get to try out the ice kachang plastic machine. It was delicious even though it’s made on a cold day. Let’s make if you have the plastic ice kachang maker!!!

Ingredients

Syrup

1/2 small disk of palm sugar or 1/4 c brown sugar or granulated sugar
80 ml water
3 tiny drop of red food colouring or any colour of your choice

Ice kachang

1-2 blocks of ice
1 canned of grass jelly, wash and cut into cubes
1 canned creamed corn kernels

Method

Add all the ingredients for the syrup to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat. As soon as the sugar melts and the syrup starts to bubble, turn off the heat. Set aside and let it cool.

Wipe clean the plastic ice kachang maker; be careful as there are sharp metal claws to hold the ice block. Then place a non-slip mat on bench top. Place 1 ice block sit on the holder. With hand turn the handle of the metal claws down to grip the ice cube tightly. Place a bowl under the base of the ice kachang base. Using one hand to keep turning the handle that control the metal claws to shave the ice. The other hand hold firmly on the machine. Shave some onto the bowl below. Don’t pile too much, as you have other ingredients to top onto the shaved ice. Spoon some red syrup, creamed corn kernels and grass jelly over. Enjoy!!!

Note: This my trial and experiment. I made enough for 2 people. The remaining creamed corn kernels and grass jelly with some tap water; place them in an airtight container in fridge last for 4 days. You can have it with bought ice cream. You can add palm nuts if you can find it, cendol, red azuki beans, ice cream, fruits, peanuts, and/or raisins.

“Cendol is a popular Southeast Asian iced dessert featuring green, worm-like jelly strands made from rice flour and pandan flavouring, served in coconut milk and palm sugar syrup ((gula) (melaka)) over shaved ice. Common in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, this sweet, refreshing treat often includes toppings like red azuki beans, glutinous rice, or durian. Makes it a cooling, refreshing drink or dessert, often called “air-conditioning in a bowl.”

https://helenscchin.com/2021/05/01/homemade-ice-kachang/

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