Description
The ultimate medicinal dessert of Hong Kong and Guangdong. A pitch-black jelly made by boiling 'collagen from the underside of turtle shells' (like softshell turtle) and dozens of Chinese medicinal herbs for hours until it sets. Intensely bitter, so it is eaten drenched in massive amounts of sweet syrup.
Restaurants serving Gui Ling Gao (Herbal Turtle Jelly)
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Gui Ban(Turtle shell extract)
- Tu Fu Ling & medicinal herbs
- Syrup(or Honey/Condensed milk)
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Medicinal Pinnacle) The main ingredients are 'Gui Ban' (the bottom shell of a turtle, pure collagen) and 'Tu Fu Ling' (Smilax glabra, a cooling herb), along with dozens of medicinal roots like honeysuckle and licorice.
- Boil these ingredients in a giant pot for hours until the liquid turns pitch black, extracting the ultimate medicinal essence.
- Strain the liquid, pour into ceramic bowls (or plastic cups), and chill.
- Without using gelatin or agar, the turtle's natural collagen and the herbs' starches magically set the liquid into a 'bouncy, firm jelly'.
- (Taste & Eating) Eating it plain floods the mouth with an intense herbal 'bitterness'. Therefore, right before eating, drown it in 'ultra-sweet syrup (Tang Shui)', 'condensed milk', or honey.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Intense herbal bitterness and syrup sweetness、シロップの甘み
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Grass Jelly - looks similar but ingredients differ)
Pairing
As a standalone dessert / On hot summer days
Trivia
[Trivia] Treated in Southern China as the ultimate medicine to 'clear internal heat and toxins'. Massively popular among young women as a 'beauty jelly' highly effective against acne and rough skin. Specialized jelly stands are ubiquitous on Hong Kong street corners.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] White condensed milk or golden syrup creates a beautiful contrast on the pitch-black jelly. Scoop it with a spoon; the sweet syrup perfectly neutralizes the herbal bitterness, leaving a refreshing coolness and a profound satisfaction of 'doing something incredibly healthy for your body'.
Allergen
None (Depends on syrup)