Nongu Paal (Palm Fruit Drink)

If it's different type of colourful berries in the west for summer, here in India we have plenty of tropical fruits like mangoes, jackfruit etc...  Among fruits if you ask me which is the best, I definitely can't.  Each fruit is unique and has it's own goodness.

 Yes you have unbearable heat in summer when it comes to tropical countries like India, but God  has also blessed them with abundant amount of fruits which cools down their body. The recipe which I made here is using palm fruit.  I'm sure atleast people from South India will be familiar with this fruit.   In summer people just crave for this fruit.  One thing which amazes me about this fruit is, palm tree is grown in extreme hot climate and the place where the tree grows is totally dry and looks like a dessert, actually not like a desert, it is a desert.   As you know palm tree grows in most of the dry desert regions, but  the fruit inside is high in water content and it also cools down your body, by which I'm amazed by this fruit.

When you go for a drive or walk in 40 degree C and come back home no matter how much bottle of water or juices you drink will not satisfy you.  But a glass of chilled palm fruit drink is a perfect thirst quencher.

  This recipe was strongly suggested by mom in law to publish in my blog but I made it in my mom's place and publishing it now.  Almost everyday  in summer this is a must in our mom in law's place and yeah I got the exact recipe from her.  Ever since I named my blog as Taste Of Pearl City, I never published any recipe to represent my home town and now I'm more than happy to publish the real Taste Of Pearl City , from Pearl City i.e my home town.

Recipe source: Mom-in-law and Mom
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes( Chilling time for 3 to 4 hours)
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Milk- 1/2 litre
Sugar or honey- according to your taste you can add to sweeten the milk
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
Rose water- 1/2 tsp
Palm fruit- 10
Pomegranate seeds- 1 tbsp( optional)
Rose- 1 ( optional)

Method:
Boil the milk along with cardamom powder and let it cool down completely.  Peel the palm fruit.  Blend 5 of the fruit in a blender and chop the remaining into small pieces. Add the pureed and chopped palm fruit, sugar or honey, rose water to the cooled milk and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the milk in a container and place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.  Just before serving add some ice cubes and top it with pomegranate seeds and rose petals.
If you are not a big fan of pomegranate seeds and rose petals, you can omit it.  It taste absolutely perfect just on it's own.

Note:
I haven't mentioned the amount of sugar or honey, since different people use different amount of sweetness, you can vary it according to your taste.


This recipe goes to the following event,
Bookmarked recipes by Priya and Aipi,  Serve it chilled by Oh Taste N See, Kid's Delight - Cool Comfort by Seduce your Taste Buds originally started by Srivalli, Only Coolers and Mocktails by Simply Food started by Foodelicious, Fun N Sun by Tickling Palates, Seasonal Indulgence- Series Summer Coolers by Saffron Streaks  and What's Everyone having for Iftar