How to make Ai Yu jelly
Taiwan is a food lover’s paradise with lots of unique and tasty delicacies. One of their most popular exports to the U.S. is boba tea, which some people call bubble tea. Another treat is Ai Yu jelly, which isn’t as mainstream here but is ubiquitous in Taiwan. Walk around any of the many Taiwanese night markets and you’re guaranteed to see multiple Ai Yu stands with lines of people.
Ai Yu is made from the seeds of the Jelly fig and has essentially the same consistency as Jello. It is practically tasteless by itself so traditionally, lemon juice or other enhancements are added. I’ll show you how to make this refreshing dessert! (so easy even I can do it)
This is all you need. You’ll have to go to your local Asian supermarket to find cans of Ai Yu. Chances are if you have a decent market, they’ll have a plentiful supply. Get the “Made in Taiwan” cans if available for best taste.
I like adding almond jelly for a little variety. I think this is probably sold in regular American supermarkets as well, but if you’re already at the Asian market, you can most likely find this right next to the Ai Yu cans and save yourself a trip.
Opening the can gives you a block of Ai Yu. Chop it up to pieces of desired size. Do the same with the almond jelly. Next, add as much water as you want and then squeeze some lemon juice. For a bowl of this size, I use half a can of Ai Yu, half a can of almond jelly, about a cup of water, and juice from one lemon.
The finished product! I can’t even call this a recipe since there’s literally 2 steps. It makes a refreshing treat and tastes just like they make it in Taiwan.
