By The Table desk · Last verified 7 October 2026
Three desserts anchor almost every hawker dessert stall. Chendol is shaved ice with green pandan jelly noodles, coconut milk and gula melaka (palm sugar), often with red beans. Ice kachang (“iced beans” in Malay) is a mound of shaved ice drenched in coloured syrups and evaporated milk, hiding red beans, sweet corn, jelly and attap seeds underneath. Tau suan is the warm one: split mung beans in a thick, sweet, starchy soup, topped with crisp you tiao (fried dough fritters), from the Teochew tradition. Prices are small: a Bedok stall sold basic chendol at $3 in April 2026, and a 2022 survey found most tau suan at $1.50 to $2.50.
On a sticky afternoon, nothing restores the spirit faster. Here is how to choose between ice and warmth.
Quick facts
- Chendol: shaved ice, pandan-green jelly noodles, coconut milk, gula melaka (SG101).
- Ice kachang: shaved ice, syrups, evaporated milk, beans, corn and jelly (SG101).
- Tau suan: warm split mung bean soup thickened with starch, with you tiao (Singaporean Mandarin Database).
- Popular add-ons: durian, attap seeds, grass jelly, corn, ice cream.
- Price guide: chendol $3–$4 at a Bedok stall (April 2026); tau suan mostly $1.50–$2.50 (Eatbook, 2022).
- Eat fast: ice melts, and tau suan thins quickly once you start.
The three at a glance
| Dessert | Hot or cold | Main ingredients | Flavour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chendol | Cold | Shaved ice, green jelly noodles, coconut milk, gula melaka, red beans | Rich, smoky-sweet, creamy |
| Ice kachang | Cold | Shaved ice, rose and other syrups, evaporated milk, red beans, corn, jelly, attap seeds | Fruity, colourful, very sweet |
| Tau suan | Warm | Split mung beans, sugar, potato or tapioca starch, you tiao | Gentle, clean, lightly sweet |
A little history
SG101 records that in the 1950s and 1960s, ice kachang was sold as hand-moulded ice balls doused in syrup and milk. When hawkers were licensed in the 1960s to raise hygiene standards, it moved into shallow bowls, and hand-cranked ice crushers gave way to mechanical shavers. Chendol is shared across Southeast Asia; Singapore’s twist is the scoop of durian many stalls offer. Tau suan comes from the Teochew kitchen and is served at both hawker stalls and Teochew restaurants.
What they cost
| Item | Price | Where and when reported |
|---|---|---|
| Basic chendol | $3.00 | No Name Dessert, Bedok (Seth Lui, April 2026) |
| Chendol with corn or grass jelly | $3.50 | Same stall |
| Durian chendol | $4.00 | Same stall |
| Tau suan, most hawker stalls | $1.50–$2.50 | Eatbook survey, August 2022 |
| Tau suan, Teochew restaurant | $6.20++ | Same survey |
Ice kachang prices were not listed in these sources; at hawker dessert stalls it is usually a few dollars, with durian or ice cream toppings extra. Check the board, as add-ons are priced separately.
How to order
- Name the dessert and any add-on: “one chendol, add durian”.
- Ask for less sweet if you like; some stalls can go easy on syrup or gula melaka.
- For tau suan, ask for the you tiao on the side if you want it to stay crisp.
- Share: an ice kachang is big enough for two after a meal.
- Eat quickly: the ice melts fast in Singapore’s heat.
Worked example: dessert for three
At the April 2026 Bedok prices, one durian chendol ($4) and one basic chendol ($3), plus a tau suan at $2 from a neighbouring stall (illustrative), comes to $9, or $3 each.
The WahLiao Verdict
On a hot day, choose chendol for richness or ice kachang for fun; on a rainy evening or after a heavy meal, choose warm tau suan. Add durian to chendol only if the whole table loves it, ask for less sweet if you prefer, and eat at once. At a few dollars each, there is no reason not to try all three over a week.
Questions people ask
What are the green bits in chendol?
Short jelly noodles made from flour, coloured and scented with pandan leaf. They are soft and slippery, not chewy like bubble tea pearls.
Is ice kachang the same as ABC?
Yes. In Malaysia it is often called ABC, short for air batu campur, “mixed ice”. The idea is the same.
Why must tau suan be eaten quickly?
The Singaporean Mandarin Database notes that the starch breaks down once saliva touches it, so the soup turns watery. Use one spoon and finish it warm.
Are these desserts halal?
The ingredients are usually plant-based, and many Malay dessert stalls are halal-certified, but the tau suan stalls in Eatbook’s survey were not. Check for MUIS certification.
Sources: SG101 (Singapore government heritage resource), ice kachang history and ingredients and chendol ingredients; Singapore Mandarin Promotion Council, Singaporean Mandarin Database entry on tau suan; Seth Lui, April 2026 dessert stall review with chendol prices; Eatbook, August 2022 tau suan survey with prices. The Table explains; it does not endorse.
Read next: Durian Season in Singapore: When It Peaks and How Durian Is Priced · How a Hawker Centre Works: Chope, Trays, Table-Sharing and Paying · Back to The Table
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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