Traditional Soy Milk with Pandan Syrup

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the dried soybeans (300 g) in separate cleaning water and discard that water. Put all 300 g beans in a clean container with the measured 2.5 l soaking water. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until the beans are fully plump, allowing space for expansion. Keep this soaking water for extraction.

   Check soybean hydration · 480 minUses 300 g dried soybeans, organic if desired · 2.5 l water for soybean soaking and extraction · Water, as needed for washing soybeans and pandan leaves, discarded

2. 2

   Step 2: Using a clean blender, take one ladle of hydrated soybeans and two ladles of their retained soaking water. Work in small batches without overfilling the blender, keeping the remaining beans and soaking water cold between draws.

   Uses 1 ladle hydrated soybeans and 2 ladles of their retained soaking water

3. 3

   Step 3: Blend this batch until smooth.

   Uses Loaded hydrated soybean and water batch

4. 4

   Step 4: Set a large clean metal sieve over a collecting pot. Pour in the blended batch and press it with the back of a sturdy ladle to extract the liquid, leaving the coarse pulp in the sieve.

   Uses Blended soybean slurry

5. 5

   Step 5: Pass the extracted liquid through a clean muslin cloth or cheesecloth into a separate clean pot to catch fine particles.

   Uses Extracted liquid from the sieve, separate from coarse pulp

6. 6

   Step 6: With clean hands, gently squeeze the cloth to recover its remaining raw milk. Keep the fine and coarse soybean pulp separate from the milk; it is not added back to this drink.

   Uses Fine-strained raw milk and the cloth contents

7. 7

   Step 7: Repeat the loading, blending, sieving, fine-straining and squeezing with the remaining beans, using the same one-ladle-beans to two-ladles-soaking-water ratio for each batch. Combine the extracted milk until all the beans have been processed. Keep the pulp and any unused soaking water separate from the milk.

   Uses Collected first-batch raw soybean milk, separate from pulp · Remaining cold hydrated beans and retained soaking water

8. 8

   Step 8: Pass the combined raw milk through a fresh clean muslin cloth into a clean cooking pot one final time. Leave any caught particles out of the milk.

   Uses Entire collected raw milk, separate from pulp and unused soaking water

9. 9

   Step 9: Wash all twelve pandan leaves in separate cleaning water, drain and discard that water. Fold the leaves into two bundles of six: one for the milk and one for the syrup.

   Uses 12 pandan leaves, divided into two bundles of 6 · Water, as needed for washing soybeans and pandan leaves, discarded

10. 10

    Step 10: Add one six-leaf pandan bundle to the milk. Heat over medium heat while stirring continuously, including along the bottom, until the milk itself reaches a full boil. Rising foam alone does not mean the milk is boiling. If foam approaches the rim, lift the pot briefly from the heat, reduce the heat and return it once the foam subsides, keeping the milk boiling without overflowing.

    Uses All finely filtered raw milk · One prepared bundle of 6 pandan leaves

11. 11

    Step 11: Remove and discard the pandan bundle. Reduce to medium-low heat and continue cooking the milk at a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent scorching. If a burnt layer forms, transfer the milk to a clean pot without scraping the bottom, then continue cooking.

    Simmer the soybean milk · 20 minUses Boiling milk and its pandan bundle

12. 12

    Step 12: Separately put all 200 g sugar, the measured 300 ml syrup water and the second six-leaf pandan bundle in a small clean saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

    Uses 200 g sugar for the syrup · 300 ml water for the syrup · The other prepared bundle of 6 pandan leaves

13. 13

    Step 13: Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the syrup heat and remove and discard its pandan bundle. Keep the finished syrup separate from the milk so each drink can be sweetened to taste.

    Uses Hot dissolved sugar syrup and pandan bundle

14. 14

    Step 14: When the milk has completed its 20-minute simmer, remove it from the heat and serve hot between six portions, adding the prepared syrup and optional almond essence to taste. For a chilled drink, cool the cooked milk quickly in small clean containers and refrigerate at 4°C or below; keep the syrup cold separately. Do not leave the finished milk at room temperature for prolonged cooling.

    Uses All cooked milk, separate from the discarded pandan · Prepared syrup, as much as desired for each serving · Almond essence, optional, to taste