Jelly

Asian jelly is a dessert world of its own — herbal grass jelly, wobbling konjac, fruit cups and coconut gels, usually lighter and less sweet than Western jellies. This collection covers the lot, from ready-to-eat cups to powders for setting your own.

Grass jelly is the connoisseur's choice: dark, herbal and faintly bitter, made from a mint-family plant and served chilled with syrup, in milky drinks, or over shaved ice. It comes tinned and ready, or as powder if you want to set your own. Guilinggao — the dark herbal tortoise jelly — is the traditional Cantonese cousin, taken with honey. Konjac jelly powder sets firmer and clearer, the base for fruit jellies and the little lychee jelly shots that disappear from party bowls.

On the ready-made side: fruit jelly cups with real juice in lychee, peach and mango, pudding cups with nata de coco pieces, and grass jelly drinks for something between snack and refreshment. Nata de coco — the chewy coconut gel — is here too, in syrup and ready to fold into fruit salads and halo-halo.

Asian jelly desserts are mostly light, often vegan, and keep for months in the cupboard. Everything is delivered UK-wide from our Manchester store, with free delivery on orders over £75.