What is aiyu jelly?
Aiyu jelly is a plant-based jelly popular in Taiwanese drinks and desserts. You can sip it or spoon it, and serve it a glass or a bowl. It is made from the seeds of the Taiwanese creeping fig. Simply scrub the seeds together in water to activate the pectin and form a wobbly jelly. You’ll find it in all varieties of fruit teas, on shave ice, and most commonly in a refreshing lemonade.
Where can I find aiyu seeds?
I’ve had limited success finding aiyu seeds in the US, as it’s not commonly stocked in Asian grocery stores. In cases where it is, it’s often actually an agar agar gelling agent instead of the traditional aiyu seeds. I recommend buying the Alishan Ai Yu Jelly Seeds ($7.50) online from Yunhai Shop, who specialize in Taiwanese ingredients.
Important notes for using aiyu seeds!
- Use hard water of at least 100+ ppm. The seeds need minerals (measured by hardness) to properly gel. You can check your local tap water hardness or use bottled mineral water if it’s too low. Do not use filtered or distilled water.
- Make sure there is no oil or grease on the containers you’re using. Wash your hands before agitating the aiyu seeds.
- Don’t add sugar until the gel sets, use only water to activate.
Want more drink recipes? Check out my Strawberry Milk recipe with 1M+ views, which uses a similar macerating technique for a flavorful fruit syrup.
Honey Lemon Aiyu Jelly
Ingredients
- 250 g whole lemons ~4 lemons, sliced
- 250 g honey 3/4 cup
- 1 packet aiyu seeds
- hard (mineral) water amount according to aiyu instructions (750mL per 10g aiyu) see note
- passionfruit seeds optional
Instructions
- One day in advance: in a pint size jar or container, combine the lemons and honey. Stir to coat then cover with a lid and reserve in the refrigerator overnight to macerate. Don't worry if it's thick, honey will draw out moisture from the lemon to form a flavorful syrup.
- Wash your hands and prepare the aiyu seeds by placing them in a teabag or cheesecloth tied off with string. In a large bowl, add water (see note) and the packet of aiyu seeds. Submerge and massage the seeds for 5 minutes by agitating the bag with your hands.
- Remove and discard the bag of aiyu seeds. Set the bowl aside at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, until a jelly forms.
- To serve in a bowl, spoon the aiyu jelly into your serving bowl. Spoon over a couple tablespoons of honey lemon syrup and passionfruit seeds if using. To serve in a glass, spoon the aiyu jelly until half full and top with a couple tablespoons of honey lemon syrup and passionfruit seeds if using. Top remaining space with equal parts ice and water. Sip with a wide straw (the ones for boba are ideal). Give it a stir, taste and add more honey lemon syrup if desired.
- Store any extra aiyu jelly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It's normal for water to slowly "leak" from the jelly as its gelling power weakens over time. Any extra honey lemon syrup keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It's also excellent mixed with hot water for a quick cup of honey lemon tea.
