In Penang, if we talk about desserts at Penang Road the attention will be automatically diverted to the Teow Chew Cendol. There are something which not many people knows and located just a few blocks away. The cold drink which I mention is known as Ais Tingkap or better known as Windows Sherbet by Mat Sallehs.
Checkout the faded color sign board on the top right. It does state the word AIS TINGKAP. But the color is almost the same as the windows hence not many people notice it. I know about this place since I am 7 years old where my grandpa brought me here for a cold drink in the evening. His workshop is just 10 minutes motor bike ride away. This business has been pass down for 4 generations since 1930’s. The father still able to recognize me and I just feel so comfortable with the drink that they sell.
The name Ais Tingkap originates from the way they sell this drink when they got started. They serve their drink right out from the glass windows and from there they got the name. You see the small space at the back of that blue shirt guy? That was the place it was served out last time. Some Englishman that patron them gave the name Windows Sherbet as the shaved ice has the sherbet look. This drink is ONLY AVAILABLE IN PENANG, MALAYSIA! This STALL ONLY! No other mamak stall, kopitiam or restaurant that sells this.
A Glass Of Ais Tingkap RM1.30
The whole glass of drink may look like an ordinary rose syrup filled with shaved ice and coconut meat. It is not just that. The whole glass got more than that. It has “Pong Dai Hai”, basil seeds, coconut meat, coconut water, rose essence and a spray of secret juice which consist of more than 20 ingredients inside. However over the period of modernization, certain herbs are hard to get hence it doesn’t taste as good as it use to be. Back in the olden days I can smell the secret juice from the spray from 2 meters away. It was a typical Indian herbs used but heck I care about that. The whole drink has a good cooling effect to human body on a scorching heat day.
The steps below shows how’s the ais tingkap were prepared.
Preparing our orders which consist of 12 glasses.
Start of by filling it with shaved ice. Nothing beats this on a hot day.
Putting in the Pong Dai Hai (Getah Anggur)
The right hand side is the basil seed, center ones is the one mixed with rose essence for coloring. No artificial coloring and flavors used in preparing ais tingkap. It is safe to be consumed a lot.
Fresh coconut water added
The secret juice is sprayed into each drink
Fresh coconut meat put on top then stir everything up and serve. Below is a video recorded by www.vkeong.com
Ais Tingkap (Window Sherbet)
Lebuh Tamil/Tamil Street, Penang.
GPS Coordinates: N5 25.066 E100 19.884
Open daily 12pm to 8pm (Closed on Sundays)
