Es Teler

Es teler is shaved ice piled with avocado, young coconut and jackfruit, drenched in coconut milk and condensed milk. Unlike most traditional dishes with murky origins, es teler has a documented birth: it was created for a 1980s cooking competition in Jakarta, and the winning combination has since spread to become a fixture sold from carts and food courts across Indonesia.

What it really is

Shaved or crushed ice fills a glass, and diced avocado, strips of young coconut flesh, and pieces of ripe jackfruit layer on top or mix through it — the specific combination of these three ingredients together is what makes it es teler rather than one of the many other Indonesian iced desserts. Coconut milk pours over everything for richness, and sweetened condensed milk finishes it, with a drizzle of red syrup sometimes added for colour and extra sweetness.

The three-fruit combination is what the name protects, in effect. Plenty of Indonesian iced desserts mix ice, coconut milk and condensed milk with various fruits or jellies, but es teler specifically means avocado, young coconut and jackfruit together — swap one out and it becomes a different dessert with a different name.

How it's served

• Cold, in a tall glass, with a long spoon.
• Freshly assembled to order, since the ice melts quickly.
• As a dessert or refreshing snack, especially popular in hot weather.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the dairy in the condensed milk.
• It's naturally vegetarian.
• Say if the exact fruit combination varies from the classic avocado-coconut-jackfruit mix.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.