Tomorrow is Deepavali, the festival of lights. This is the day when we all wear new clothes, burst fireworks and eat good food. My mother would start make murukkus and laddoos a few days earlier. wE would distribute sweets to the neighbors and as kids meet in the evening to burst firework.

This week has been an extremely busy week for me and I have not had time to write a new recipe, even though I had plans.Here is a repost of a sweet. Very easy to make if you get hold of fresh tender coconut water and tender coconut.

Elaneer (Tender coconut) is a very refreshing drink rich in minerals and electrolytes.

A couple of years ago, I came across this payasam in a restaurant but it had milk and therefore could not drink it. I came home and looked up the recipes and all of the ones I came across had condensed milk in it. This is my version of a vegan payasam. This can be served in glasses as a cooler. It is mildly sweet, very refreshing and extremely easy to make.

If you are buying fresh tender coconut (there are cartons and cans available now), ask for the ones with some flesh in it.

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut milk

2 cups tender coconut water (2 tender coconuts)

1/2 to 1 cup flesh of the tender coconut

1/4 cup sugar (add more if you want it sweeter)

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

saffron (optional)

Method:

Boil coconut milk for 5 to 10 mins on low flame.

Add sugar and mix well till it dissolves.

Add cardamom powder and saffron to the mixture.

Let it cool for 5 mins.

In the meantime, use a blender to blend the coconut flesh and coconut water.

Add to coconut milk and mix.

Refrigerate and serve it chilled.

Enjoy!