ABC

ABC with red beans, sweet corn, jellies and cendol

What: Dessert

Where: Malaysia

Made of: Ice

What is ABC?

ABC is an icy dessert commonly found in Malaysia, Brunei and some parts of Singapore too. Literally meaning ‘ice beans’, ABC stands for Air Batu Campur. Found almost anywhere and everywhere in Malaysia, it is a perfect way to beat the noon heat and a great substitute to ice-cream and other frozen desserts.

Colourful, flavoured fruit syrups drizzled on the ice-mixture

How is it made?

It can be made in so many ways, that you will never really figure out the actual taste and that’s the beauty of it. Every hawker, restaurant, stall and city serves their own version of ABC. It’s ice after all, that has a lot of ingredients added to it, to enrich the taste. Some of the most commonly used ones have been listed below, although variations are plenty.

ABC amidst other desserts?? I'd pick the ABC!!!! :) — ABC amidst other desserts?? I’d pick the ABC!!!! 🙂

Add-ons:

Red beans: They balance the sweetness of the dessert

Cendol: Jelly noodles with green food colouring

Corn: Steamed or boiled to make them soft and pulpy

Jellies: To add fun and colour to the mixture. Choose from grass jelly or leaf jelly, nata de coco or fermented translucent coconut cubes, green, red and other coloured jellies

Fruits: Finely chopped slices of melons, pineapple, apples and other fruits to taste

Dried fruits: This could include raisins, peaches, currants

Bread: Small pieces of toasted bread are preferred by some

Ice:

To the above, ice shavings are added, after subjecting ice blocks to a machine. The ice-mixture is then served with some toppings as per taste.

Toppings:

An ABC is incomplete without some sprinkling and drizzling for the right flavour and colour pop! Toppings include ground peanuts, ice cream, different coloured syrups, coconut milk, condensed milk etc.