Love your bandung but wish it were healthier? Read on for our very own Healthy Bandung recipe, made with all natural ingredients!
Image source: MY Magazine
At first glance, you may think that “bandung” originates from the city in Indonesia, Bandung – but it actually doesn’t! A Southeast Asian adaptation of the traditional Indian rosemilk, this bright pink street drink combines the floral fragrance of rose with the creaminess of condensed or evaporated milk to a very pleasing result. It is very popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei and is especially consumed during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Why so popular, you may ask? The answer is simple – it’s sweet, refreshing, and very suitable for the hot and humid climate of Southeast Asia!
Image source: 2 Hungry Guys
Let’s start with the main ingredient – the rose syrup! The rose syrup in a traditional bandung recipe is made from melting rose petals and sugar together. However, in our modern world tradition has given way to convenience, and bright red cordials made with artificial rose flavouring and food colouring is the predominant ingredient in bandung today. As you can imagine – artificial flavour, colour and simple sugars? Not the healthiest options.
Image source: Ambika's Kitchen
To make things worse, the creaminess in bandung comes from adding condensed milk, which contains a lot of saturated fat and added sugars. Alternatively, calorie-watchers may opt for evaporated milk instead. Evaporated milk, while much lower in sugar than condensed milk, often has some form of vegetable fat (e.g. palm oil) added for extra creaminess, further increasing the saturated fat content of bandung.
Image source: Stay at Home Mum
So, is healthy bandung possible? Yes! Our recipe uses natural rosewater instead of artificial rose cordial for that fresh floral scent. We replace the condensed milk with high calcium & low sugar soymilk, which adds creaminess, valuable calcium and protein while doing away with the cholesterol and saturated fat! Bonus: it’s suitable for people with lactose intolerance!
We use dates as a natural sweetener as they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Lastly, we add fresh dragonfruit to give our bandung that characteristic pink colour, minus any artificial colourings! This bandung is completely natural, rich in vitamins & minerals…and absolutely delicious.
Are you ready to try out our all-natural, refreshing bandung recipe? Here it is!
(Psst! Fun fact – Did you know that Bandung means “pairs” in the Malay language? What better way to share this refreshing drink than with your other “bandung”!)
Healthy Bandung
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
½ cup pitted dates, roughly chopped (adjust to sweetness preference)
¼ cup of water
1 ¼ cup (300 ml) soymilk - low sugar (or unsweetened) & high calcium
¾ teaspoon of natural rosewater
½ red dragon fruit
Method
- Put the dates and the ¼ cup of water into a small bowl for an hour to soak. Once the dates have softened, blend them with the soaking water, then strain the liquid.
- Blend the dragon fruit and strain it to remove the seeds.
- Combine and whisk together the remaining ingredients, with the date sweetened water and 3 tablespoons of dragon fruit juice.
- Place the drink in the fridge to chill overnight.
And it is that simple! Now you can enjoy an all-natural refreshing Bandung drink with lots of protein, vitamins and minerals!
Craving for other Bandung-inspired snacks? Try our Rose Macadamia Granola, made with 100% rose petals and packed with loads of superfoods and natural goodness! Find it in the “Shop” tab above!
