Singapore's TidbiTs

Cheng teng is a uniquely sweet local dessert or comfort drink that has been around for generations. This icy cold dessert drinks are popular especially given our local weather that are hot and humid. You can also have your cheng teng (also spelled as cheng tng ) warm or hot. Bedok Corner cheng-teng Cheng teng can be served either hot or cold. It is a potpourri of ingredients that include longan, ginko nuts, lily bulbs, white fungus, red dates, lianzi, barley, etc. Cold cheng teng is added with shaved ice. It is a sweet ‘cooling’ tasting dessert, like most desserts here. Cheng teng is believed to be able to get rid of heatiness in the hot and humid Singapore weather due to the tonic effect of some of the ingredients, which are herbal in nature. Some ingredients are used as part of traditional Chinese medicine, which have been used for centuries. But with so many ingredients in a bowl, cheng teng tastes very refreshing and sweet. The hot or warm version is even sweeter without the added...

Tau huay or beancurd is a whitish soft tofu usually added with liquid sugar. The sugar can be normal or brown sugar. One can also request for less sugar. Tau huay is a dessert sold at many soya bean chains such as Mr Bean and Jollibean. You can also find them at many drinks stalls in housing estates or at food centres. Tau huay is usually sold and eaten while still warm. Soya bean milk drink can be either hot or cold depending on preference. Tau huay and soya bean milk are typically sold for around $1.20 to $1.50 at chain soya bean stores. But if you go to hawker centre you can get beancurd for only 60 cents a bowl and soya bean milk for only 50 cents a cup. You can also find soya milk in packet or can drinks sold in many supermarkets islandwide but it is not the same as buying the original tau huay or a cup of freshly made soya bean milk at a hawker or food centre . Tau huay is delicious, relatively cheap and it's filling too. Bean curd Tau huay and soya bean milk from chain st...