White Lady: The Refreshing Fruity Dessert from Kuching
White Lady is one of Kuching’s most beloved iced desserts, a sweet and cooling mix of evaporated milk, fruit syrup, and shaved ice, topped with juicy tropical fruits and a slice of lemon/lime. Locals have been sipping on this creamy, fruity treat since the 1970s, especially when the afternoon heat wraps the cat city like a thick blanket.
Said to be invented by a hawker in 1975, the drink is a Sarawak original inspired by ABC and ais kacang, but with its own twist. Instead of using coconut milk, gula melaka, green strands of cendol, and red beans, White Lady relies on evaporated milk for smoothness and a syrupy fruit blend for flavour. Shaved ice forms the base, drenched in mango or pineapple syrup, then layered with toppings like mango, lychee, longan, fruit cocktail, jellies, and sometimes a few strips of jackfruit. A slice of lemon or lime sits on top, adding just the right amount of sharpness to balance the creaminess.
In Kuching, where it’s just hot all year round, there’s no tradition of elegant tea time. What people crave instead is something cold, something practical from the familiar hawker centres. That’s the spirit behind “chiak peng 吃冰” meaning “eat ice”, to cool off. On blazing afternoons, even the plainest stall can have a long queue for a tall glass of this unassuming delight.
Stalls across the city each have their own version. Some go heavier on syrup, some shave the ice more, some tweak the fruits and topping mix. The colour of the drink may vary slightly depending on the syrup, shifting from pale yellow to a deeper gold. You never quite know what you’ll get, and that unpredictability is part of the fun. A few locals prefer it served in a bowl, most of them are served in a tall cup.
Today, White Lady remains a staple in Kuching’s hawker centres, food courts, and roadside stalls. It hasn’t spread much beyond Sarawak, and maybe that’s part of its charm. It’s a drink made for this weather, this pace of life. No frills, no fuss. Just something cool and sweet to take the edge off a hot day.
