Elaneer Payasam - Tender Coconut Cooler!

Elaneer Payasam
- A delightful mildly sweet tender coconut cooler!

A Facebook foodie friend’s ‘status’ yesterday was that she had made yummy Elaneer (Tender Coconut) Payasam. This is only the second or third time I’ve heard of this, although regular coconut based payasams are well known! She went on to tell me that Elaneer is suddenly the "in" ingredient, in India. Elaneer payasam is making it in wedding reception menus,  and she had in the past few months  tasted Elaneer souffle, Elaneer cheesecake and even Elaneer Halwa!!

Tender Coconut water or Elaneer!

For me Elaneer screams HOLIDAY TIME! In our school days, every trip between Bangalore and Mysore would never be complete without the mandatory stop near the road-side  Channapatna vendors. I remember Dad, Grandad and Uncles insisting with the vendor to ensure that we got the Elaneer’s with the maximum water, and most tender vazhukkai (tender coconut flesh).

Tender Coconut Flesh or Vazhukkai scraped with a 'coconut spoon'!

Elaneer’s are also the welcome drink in our native village Seeplaputhur. The size of the Elaneers in our village are very tiny, almost like an orange! However, the water is very very sweet, and the vazhukkai most delicate – although just a teaspoon per coconut! You can easily have 4 or 5 of these at one go!

Flash forward – Sydney supermarkets selling Fijian Elaneers with a colourful label promoting weightloss through this nature’s miracle drink!!! These don’t taste quite as great, but better than canned stuff anyday!!

My friend's post was timely last night, as I was left with some fresh home made coconut milk, after making some yummy Thai Green Curry for dinner, and I decided to make this quickie dish asap!

I now understand why it’s a party dish, and yet so simple to make.

Ingredients

Full Cream Milk – 2 cups

Thick Coconut milk  – ½ cup  (This post contains the method for extracting coconut milk)

Condensed Milk – 1.5 Tbsp

Elaneer with flesh – Puree in a mixer. It need not be smooth, as its nice to have some vazhukkai bits in the payasam

Optional Flavourings and Garnish

Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp

Saffron – few strands

Few raisins and cashews fried in ghee.

Elaneer Payasam, ready to be chilled!

Method1. Boil milk, until it has reduced to half the quantity.

2. Add in condensed milk (you can add more if you like it sweet, however this tastes best if its mildly sweet), cardamom and saffron.

3. Add coconut milk. Stir and simmer for few minutes.

4. Switch off the flame and allow mixture to cool

5. Mix in the Elaneer water and pulp mixture, and chill.

6. Serve chilled, garnished with fried raisins and cashews.

Note: The dish tastes great even without the optional flavours, as you simply get yummy Elaneer flavour.

Guest Host for my "SYF&HWS - Cook With SPICES" Series Event - MAR 5th to APR 5th

Hello Friends,

I started this Event in December 2011 and called it as "SYF&HWS - Cook With SPICES" which is a series event.

This month my fellow Blogger Friend Vardhini "Zesty Palette" is guest hosting from Mar 5th to Apr 5th and she had chosen the Spice - FENUGREEK (Methi).

Vardhini has a beautiful space, very nice collection of recipes and very inviting presentation along with she also hosts other events too at the same time. So please visit her space and hope to see many recipes for the event.

Happy Hosting Dear.....

Almond Banana Milkshake

I never skipped breakfast till now. No reason behind it. I am wondering now, why I never skipped it? I had many times missed my college bus only because of my breakfast.



I remember my aunt yelling at me for missing bus and not keeping up with my time. She tried to change me. Finally she changed herself and packed breakfast in a box. Advised me to have it during the long(?) journey to the college.



Then, in the crowd among all the other students, I started to have my breakfast in the bus. I didn't feel shy at all.  I never worried about others unnecessary annotations and weird look. I know my mind always thinks about eating at correct time.



Well, Last week, I visited my aunt's house. She is still yelling, not with me but with her son. She packed breakfast for him and gave it to him. but the box was returned in the evening untouched. I understand, these days kids are not concentrating on food while going to school in the morning even though they are good at eating.

The next day, I prepared this milkshake and gave it to him instead of breakfast. Hah... Success...He finished it while tucking his shirt in. Why can't you try this simple breakfast for your kids for instant energy? It is good to you too.



Basic Information:

Preparation Time: <15 minutes (except for soaking almonds)

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Banana - 2 nos

Almonds - 8 nos

Milk - 1 and 1/2 cups

Sugar/Honey - 2 tablespoons (Optional)



Method:



1) Soak almond for overnight/2 hours and remove the skin. Slice the banana into slices.

2) Put almond first in a mixer/blender and blend it for a minute.

3) Add milk and banana slices now and continue blending for another minute or until you don't find any lumps.

4) Add sugar / honey and blend it just enough to mix.

5) Pour in glasses and serve chill.

Note:

1) Add vanilla ice cream/ice cubes if your prefer.

2) Add a teaspoon or two of cocoa powder for chocolate shake.

3) You can also prepare this drink instantly without soaking almond. However, it is advised to remove the skins, if you are going to serve for kids to avoid digestion problem.

4) Almonds are sometimes difficult for few people to digest because of an enzyme-inhibiting substance in their brown coating. Soaking or sprouting removes this inhibitor so that the enzymes secreted during digestion can do their job.