Lemon aiyu jelly

What it is

Aiyu jelly (愛玉) is set from the seeds of Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang, a climbing fig found only in Taiwan. It grows mostly in the Central Mountain Range at about 1,200 to 1,900 metres. Rubbed in water, the seeds give off a gel that sets without cooking. Mixed with lemon juice, syrup and ice, it becomes lemon aiyu (檸檬愛玉), a summer drink.

Where it came from

The usual story of the name comes from Lian Heng's General History of Taiwan (臺灣通史). In the Daoguang reign of the Qing dynasty, a merchant drinking from a stream in Chiayi saw something like jelly on the water and fruit fallen from the trees above. He took the fruit home, rubbed it in water and got the same jelly. His daughter, Aiyu, sold it in the street, and the jelly came to bear her name.

The plant's Taiwanese name, ò-giô (薁蕘), survives in its scientific name. The Japanese botanist Makino Tomitarō published the species in 1904 from a specimen collected in what is now Meishan Township, Chiayi. Most botanists now treat it as a variety of the creeping fig. It is thought to be pollinated only by its own fig wasp, which does poorly in mainland China and makes the plant hard to grow there.

How it is made

The figs are picked from about September to January, before they turn dark purple. They are halved, turned inside out and dried, and the seeds are scraped off. To make jelly, the seeds go into a cotton bag that is rubbed in cold water. The gel is a pectin that needs minerals in the water to set, so distilled water, grease or sugar added too early can stop it. The jelly is cut up and mixed with lemon juice, syrup and ice.

How to eat it

Lemon aiyu is a cold drink for hot days and a common way to cool down after night-market snacks. Ask for 檸檬愛玉 or 愛玉冰. Honey and lemon is the classic pairing, and the jelly also goes into other sweet drinks and onto shaved ice.