Malaysians up in arms over CNN calling chendol ‘Singaporean’
KUALA LUMPUR — Is chendol, the icy treat flavoured with pandan jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar, native to Malaysia or Singapore?
CNN’s ranking of the world’s top 50 desserts has sparked a heated debate over chendol’s origins.
KUALA LUMPUR — Is chendol, the icy treat flavoured with pandan jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar, native to Malaysia or Singapore?
CNN’s latest list of ‘50 of the world’s best desserts’ includes chendol, but their description of the dish being from Singapore has left Malaysian foodies feeling more bitter than sweet.
On their website, CNN describes chendol as a ‘blissfully cool dessert’ and acknowledges that different versions of it can be found throughout South-east Asia, but says that Singapore’s take on the dish with sweet red beans makes it ‘especially tempting’.
The statement has created a sticky situation with Malaysian social media users who believe it was unfair to credit Singapore for having the best chendol in the region.
“Dear CNN, do come over to Melaka and try our Cendol,” said Mr Bobby Chew on Facebook.
“Ask (Singapore) where they get their brown sugar from,” wrote Mr Roy Chor, referring to gula melaka, an essential ingredient in the dessert.
Besides chendol, CNN’s hotly debated list of desserts also included dan tat (egg tarts) from Hong Kong, Japanese cheesecake, and tiramisu from Italy. MALAY MAIL
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