Elaneer Payasa/ tender coconut kheer/ bonda payasa

Who doesn’t love tender coconut during summer? Water as well as its flesh/ malai – both are equally delicious and one of the best ways to keep ourselves hydrated during the hot summer. Sometimes, if the flesh is matured/ harder it will be left out too, agree with me?

Recently we had lot of such tender coconuts, and regularly my go to recipe is tender coconut/ bannankai dosa. This time I wanted to try something new, then came this idea of making kheer with that. I tried halbai earlier, that turns delicious too. Other dish that we can go with is tender coconut & poha with little jaggery which is perfect snack.

Now let us go and check the recipe of this tasty payasa, a wonderful dessert. I served this to some of the guests who loved it very much! This payasa can be made in two different ways – cook or no cook kheer. I am sharing cooked version of payasa recipe today.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Tender coconut pulp/ flesh/ malai – 1 cup

Jaggery  – ½ cup or Sugar as required

Thin poha/ paper avalakki – fistful / 4 tbsp (optional)

Coconut milk - 1cup (optional), you can use condensed milk instead (adjust jaggery if you are using sweet condensed milk)

Nuts/ dry fruits of choice - Chopped & roasted

Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

 

Method:

• Scoop out tender coconut flesh or bonda bave (havyaka). If soft, then finely chop it. If you are using harder, then quickly churn to a coarse paste using a mixer/ blender.
• Prepare jaggery syrup by boiling it with little water and run through a sieve to filter any impurities.
• Mix tender coconut, jaggery syrup in a thick vessel. Add little water to bring to the required consistency.
• Add coconut milk/ milk/ condensed milk.
• Add poha if using.
• Combine everything well and bring to a quick boil.
• Add roasted nuts/ fruits. Add little cardamom powder, mix.
• Serve this kheer warm/ cold.

Notes:

• Poha is optional ingredient here. You can add it if you want to increase the quantity.
• Sugar can also be used instead jaggery. I recommend sugar if you are using milk. I tried with Sugar+ Milk as well as Jaggery + Coconut milk, both taste good and unique
• As tender coconut flesh gives that coconut flavor, this tastes delicious even without adding coconut milk.
• Chopped dry figs & cashews enrich the taste.
• Make sure to reduce the jaggery/sugar measure if using condensed milk which is sweet. Otherwise it will be too sweet.