Jelly (rau câu) - a quick flashback to the old times

Any Saigonese, over 30 or 40, probably still remember jelly seller with simple cart, they push their  cart in small alleys of Saigon, sell very colourful jelly in small glasses, or coconut jelly in tiny bowl...To keep jelly cold, they put a big ice block and jelly on it.

I wonder how long they can keep the ice in there, under the summer heat!

We can see thru the glass display to select.
I love coconut jelly with white coconut milk sauce on the top (nowadays we have luxury jelly-coconut fruit (rau câu trái dừa)!

This sweet snack is the best to have after the afternoon nap, in order to get a cold freshness or sweet taste to save the energy for the rest of the day!

Today jelly is more delicate in colour, shape and flavor 

Nice mixture of coconut milk and famous durian! 

Saigonese love jelly, why? Simply it's very hot here, esp. around 2-3 PM when the heat could reach the top in midday, so we need a little big luxury cold flavor ! These days, I didn't see this jelly seller anymore, people now have more choices: yogurt, ice cream, flan ... from convenience stores, everywhere!
And jelly also changed to meet our finer taste!

Jade green jelly, mixture of coconut milk, pandan leave and flan inside as filling! 

The old recipe with only agar, water, sugar, some drops of colour or flavor additives doesn't work anymore!
Today we have fruit jelly in different shapes with different flavors, we even have a combination of flan and jelly, and our imagination continues with mid-autumn cake jelly (bánh trung thu rau câu), birthday cake jelly or we use real fruits (papaya, water melon. orange, coconut...) as mold for the jelly!

The image of jelly seller's cart has gone, but instead of that many family business flourish by selling home-made jelly. One of favourite places is Nho Ngoc Nga in small alley in Lý Chính Thắng street (62/253 Lý Chính Thắng P8, Q3, tel: 62730378).

I like crystal jelly with young coconut inside, very nice chewy texture and not very sweet.

Jelly with durian or amber jelly are  also my new choice at this place.

Crystal jelly with young coconut inside, very fine in texture and taste! 

We say good bye to the old image of jelly seller's cart, but welcome hundred online spots with very imaginative jelly. Jelly with filling - flan (steamed egg cake with milk and caramel), green bean, peanut paste, pineapple jam...but I probably stay loyal to simple taste, healthy fruit jelly!

So now, along with ice cream or trendy fruit yogurt, you have another choice to cooler yourself in the heat of Saigon!    

Amber jelly with raisin and dry longan