Dessert
Shwe Yin Aye with Araticum de Lago Jelly

About this dish
Shwe yin aye is a beloved Burmese cold dessert typically made with tapioca pearls, palm seeds, and coconut milk. In this version, I steep the coconut cream with a whisper of pandan and then layer in a shimmering jelly made from araticum de lago—a fragrant Brazilian fruit with notes of pineapple, custard apple, and vanilla.
The result is a clandestine marriage of Southeast Asian comfort and Amazonian sweetness, cool and deeply satisfying on a humid afternoon.
Ingredients
UK and US measurements are both included for every recipe.
tapioca pearls
grain100 g
Imperial measurement: ½ cup
water
liquid500 ml
Imperial measurement: 2 cups
pandan leaves
herb4 leaves
coconut milk
dairy400 ml
Imperial measurement: 1⅔ cups
jaggery (grated)
other100 g
Imperial measurement: ½ cup packed
salt
seasoning¼ tsp
araticum de lago pulp (thawed if frozen)
fruit300 g
Imperial measurement: 1½ cups
agar-agar powder
other5 g
Imperial measurement: 1¾ tsp
lime juice
liquid1 tbsp
toasted sesame seeds
other1 tbsp
Method
Cook tapioca
10 minutesBring 500 ml (2 cups) water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add tapioca pearls, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent (about 10 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Infuse coconut milk
20 minutesIn the same saucepan, combine coconut milk, pandan leaves, jaggery, and salt. Heat over low flame, stirring gently until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Discard pandan leaves.
Combine tapioca with coconut base
1 hourStir the cooked tapioca pearls into the infused coconut milk. Chill for at least 1 hour until thick and creamy.
Prepare araticum jelly
7 minutesIn a small bowl, sprinkle agar-agar powder over 50 ml (¼ cup) cool water and let bloom for 5 minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan together with araticum pulp and lime juice. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for 2 minutes until agar is fully dissolved.
Set jelly
30 minutesPour the hot araticum mixture into a shallow dish (about 1 cm depth). Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Serve
5 minutesSpoon the chilled coconut-tapioca mixture into serving glasses. Unmold the araticum jelly and cut into small cubes. Top each glass with jelly cubes and garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately.
Equipment
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Nutrition facts
Tips
- To achieve the signature chewy yet soft texture of the tapioca, cook just until the pearls become translucent, overcooking can make them mushy.
- Araticum de lago pulp is available frozen in specialty Brazilian markets, if you cannot find it, substitute with a blend of pineapple and banana purée for a similar tropical profile.
- For a neater shape, pour the araticum jelly into a small loaf pan and cut into precise cubes rather than a shallow dish.
Serving suggestions
- Serve cold as a refreshing dessert on a hot day. This dessert pairs beautifully with a cup of green tea or as a sweet end to a Burmese-inspired meal.
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Recipe by
Thiri Tun
Specialises in Burmese cuisineThiri is a tea leaf salad master who ferments her own tea leaves in a clay pot. She will not tell you the recipe.
Describe yourself in three words: Mysterious, secretive, delicious.