DIY gui ling gao (herbal turtle jelly)
Tried making gui ling gao today. Bought the powder for RM5 from a Chinese medicine/herb shop near Central Market (it’s below Oriental Bowl)…though I’m sure it’s easily available from most Chinese medicinal shops.
It’s really easy to make. Just add about 240ml boiled water and two teaspoons of granulated sugar to the powder. Stir till the paste is smooth (best way to do that is to add the water slowly, not all at one go). Pour into a pot and add 960ml more of boiled water, and bring to the boil while constantly stirring. It’s like agar-agar/jelly…you can feel it get more viscous). One packet like this yields about 10 cups.
My little bowls are now sitting in the fridge…it should be cold enough to eat by tonight. Just need to buy some honey to go with it!
Comment by Pinkelle on 21 April 2007 @ 8:40 pm
That looks good! Was it bitter? It’s apparently really good for the skin
Comment by Siongee on 21 April 2007 @ 11:39 pm
Yummm… I love gui ling gao!! Having it readily accessible at home makes it even better! Need to ask my dad to bring some from Malaysia….
Comment by carrot on 22 April 2007 @ 12:05 am
love gui ling gao!! make for me? pls?
hey but i heard it’s made from turtle something…is that true? if it is i might just stop eating it….
Comment by sooyin on 22 April 2007 @ 11:44 am
Pinkelle: Nope, not very bitter as I added 2 and a half teaspoons of sugar instead of the required two. Just nice for me coz I never like overly bitter gui ling gao. It’s supposed to have “cooling” properties, so probably that’s why it’s good for the skin…
Siongee: I think your dad should be able to find the powder at Chinese herb shops. It’s really easy peasy to make!
Carrot: Haha…I buy the powder and teach you how to make, can? Then you can have it anytime you want. Err…well, I’m not sure actually. Can check it out on Google la…
Comment by carrot on 22 April 2007 @ 3:09 pm
Hehe….ok can
Comment by Polly on 27 June 2008 @ 6:41 am
I LOVE GUI LING GAO! I have a ten year supply bag at home, but I finish it in 1 month can. You teach me make more la? Can make pls more?
Comment by saume cheng on 19 January 2009 @ 9:18 pm
how do you know what is in the powder. Can you be sure that it has the box turtle shell powder in?
Comment by disgusted on 23 September 2009 @ 2:53 pm
U are not fucking sure?
I am so happy cos u will DEFINITELY burn in hell for eating and causing teh death of endangered species that are not able to breed in captivity. Sick fucks. You too saume cheng. Have fun burning in sulphur.
Comment by sooyin on 23 September 2009 @ 11:34 pm
Sorry, I should’ve posted this earlier. From Wiki:
Commercially available guīlínggāo are always sold as a dessert and do not contain turtle shell powder (despite the prominent turtle images on most brands). They do, however, share the same herbal additives as the medicine and are similarly marketed as being good for skin complexion when ingested.
Comment by sooyin on 23 September 2009 @ 11:49 pm
Disgusted: You’re right, it’s something that I should’ve checked first before ever eating but it never crossed my mind…I always thought that it was just Chinese herbs, and ‘turtle jelly’ was just a name given to it, like how some Chinese foodstuff have funny names. I did check after Carrot’s comment but never bothered to post a comment in reply. If it were really made of turtle shells, I would’ve stopped eating it, and my apologies if this post offended you.
Comment by ah keang on 6 March 2010 @ 9:48 am
Comment by Ethan Chai on 26 August 2010 @ 2:51 pm
Hi…i would like to ask where can i get this pack of gui lin gao? I would like to purchase them too…