CHEWY PANDAN NOODLES IN SWEET COCONUT MILK (LOD CHONG)
Cool down with a bowl of Lod Chong, a delightful Thai dessert featuring chewy, vibrant green pandan noodles swimming in a sweet and creamy coconut milk syrup. Served with crushed ice and optional slivers of jackfruit, it’s a wonderfully satisfying treat for a summer’s day and a true taste of Thai street food culture.
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings)
For the Pandan Noodles (the Lod Chong):
- 1 cup (120g) Tapioca Starch
- 2 tbsp Rice Flour
- 1 cup (250ml) Pandan Juice (see Note)
- 1 cup (250ml) Water
For the Coconut Syrup:
- 1 can (400ml) Full-Fat Coconut Milk
- 100g (approx. 1/2 cup) Palm Sugar (or caster sugar)
- A good pinch of Salt (about 1/4 tsp)
- 2-3 Pandan Leaves, tied into a knot (optional)
For Assembly:
- Plenty of Crushed Ice
- 1 can Jackfruit in Syrup, drained and sliced (optional but recommended)
Method
Lod Chong is a delightful Thai dessert, and it’s surprisingly fun to make from scratch. Here’s how:
- Make the Noodle Dough: In a medium, non-stick saucepan, whisk together the tapioca starch and rice flour. Gradually pour in the pandan juice and water, whisking constantly until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Cook the Dough: Place the saucepan over a low-medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula. The mixture will slowly start to thicken. Keep stirring, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, for about 8-10 minutes. The dough is ready when it becomes a very thick, sticky, and translucent green paste.
- Press the Noodles: Prepare a large bowl of ice-cold water. While the dough is still hot, quickly transfer it into a potato ricer, a colander with large holes, or a traditional lod chong press. Hold the press over the bowl of ice water and press the hot dough through the holes, letting the green noodles drop into the cold water. The cold water will shock the noodles and set their chewy texture.
- Make the Coconut Syrup: In a separate saucepan, combine the coconut milk, palm sugar, salt, and knotted pandan leaves (if using). Heat gently over a low-medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Once dissolved, remove from the heat and take out the pandan leaves. Let it cool.
- Assemble and Serve: To serve, fill a glass or bowl halfway with crushed ice. Use a slotted spoon to add a generous portion of the pandan noodles. Add a few slices of jackfruit (if using). Finally, pour over the sweet coconut syrup. Serve immediately with a spoon.
Note
- Pandan Juice: To make fresh pandan juice, roughly chop 8-10 pandan leaves and blend them with 1 cup (250ml) of water until fine. Strain the mixture through a muslin cloth or fine sieve, squeezing out all the liquid. Alternatively, you can use bottled pandan extract mixed with water.
- The Right Texture: The key to chewy noodles is using tapioca starch and cooking the dough until it is thick and translucent.
- For your convenience, we also have ready-to-eat Lodchong Singapore available at Talardthai.com
