Herbal tortoise jelly, black sesame dessert soup - black is GOOD!

Black food !

Left: Herbal jelly, some say tortoise jelly, 龟苓膏 pronouned Gui Ling Gao. Right: black sesame soup/paste, 芝麻糊

Is BLACK aesthetically photo-shoot-friendly ? In some ways, it might look unappetizing and digusting but hear more of black food before you make your statement.

Herbal Jelly - typically prepared from powder (made of grinded turtle shells or not - needs more verification), with other herbal substances added to the jelly to give its bitter (medicinal) taste. To enjoy it, you are sure to find honey served alongside, so that you can adjust the level of bitterness to your own liking.

Have the jelly served cold, or warm but not many people like this medicinal bitterly tasting dessert - an acquired taste, perhaps. If you like grass jelly, the texture of tortoise jelly is akin to grass jelly. I really want some to soothe my sore throat and bad cough now. This herbal jelly is known to have health benefits such as treating sore throats, and improving general health.


This black sesame dessert is a form of sweet soup in Cantonese cuisine. The main ingredient is crushed black sesame seeds. It is then boiled with hot water. Depending on the sesame seeds which sometimes can be already sweet, the level of sweetness is adusted during boiling by adding sugar. Those instant soup packs can't beat this, I am so sure! This one I had in Hong Kong was so smooth.

And this soup is one of those few that is known to give you beautiful, black hair, if you consume it regularly. According to sources, the Chinese black sesame seed soup helps to improve the health of the scalp, thus nourishes the hair. Black sesame seeds are high in protein, and minerals such as phosphorous, iron and magnesium. It will then be no doubt that these seeds imparts youth and darkness to one's hair. So, if you are are seeing premature greying of your hair, don't use a hair dye. Black sesame soup can be your "natural hair dye" fit for a dessert or snack :P

What other black food can you think of ?

Tag:desserts, jelly, black sesame