A Simple Elaneer Payasam And Its Fabulous Benefits For Overall Health
On a blazing hot day at the height of summer, within the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu , the ever present stationary makeshift tents and mobile carts selling “Elaneer”, meaning “Tender Coconut Water” in Tamil, the regional tongue widely spoken during this vicinity, are hard to miss.
This natural drink is an exquisite thirst quencher amidst the sweltering heat, being pure, unadulterated, sans additives, preservatives, during a raw packaging of the hard coconut shell.
Elaneer/Coconut Water Nutritional Facts:
Elaneer or tender coconut milk may be a clear, colorless liquid with a subtle tinge of sweetness in taste. It’s imbued with a treasure trove of wholesome nutrients, like proteins, vitamins B, C, minerals magnesium, potassium, manganese and myriad potent antioxidants. Furthermore, it’s high in water content, low in calories, with no Trans fats, cholesterol, making it ideal for instantly hydrating the body and effortlessly incorporating into weight-loss diets.
Excellent Health Benefits of The Components In Elaneer Payasam:
Tender coconut milk For balance
Elaneer or tender coconut milk is overflowing with useful compounds for remedying instances of dehydration. It’s rich in potassium, a key mineral that replenishes electrolytes, also as ensures smooth conduction of nerve impulses and muscle contractions. Moreover, it helps maintain normal vital sign levels, to stop hypertension.
Coconut Pulp for Digestive Health
Being a storehouse of dietary fibers, coconut pulp facilitates the prompt breakdown of ingested carbohydrates, proteins, for enhanced digestion and keeps gastrointestinal problems like heartburn, bloating cornered. It also has saturated lipids that aid in better assimilation of important fat-soluble vitamins A, D E and K.
Milk for Bone Strength
Milk possesses a chock-full of bone-fortifying constituents, namely proteins, essential amino acids, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. These add synergy, to extend bone mineral density, reinforce joints and also protect the connective tissues from acquiring severe debilitating inflammatory ailments of osteoporosis, arthritis within the later years in life.
Not all South Indian sweets and desserts are around forever. The Mysore Pak, a sinful delicacy that’s crafted with three ingredients, may be a 20th century phenomenon – a tasty treat that was invented within the Royal kitchens of the Mysore palace. The Elaneer payasam is a good newer phenomenon. While there are quite few sweets that use coconut milk or tender coconut kernels in parts of South India, the thought to mix them during a delicate cold dessert alongside reduced milk may be a relatively new development.
A payasam (or kheer) is an integral a part of an outsized South Indian festive, banana leaf meal. Over the past few decades, we’ve adopted the Western template and serve payasams as a dessert at the top of the meal. It wasn’t always eaten at the top of the meal. It wasn’t uncommon for a sweet or a payasam to be served as a primary course of a standard banana leaf meal. Also, payasams were usually served hot or at temperature. The concept of a chilly semiya payasam (semolina kheer) or paal payasam (milk kheer) probably took off within the 1970s and 80s when refrigerators went more mainstream across urban South India. A standard South Indian payasam typically features rice or lentils and are usually mildly sweet without too many spice infusions.
The first time i attempted the Elaneer payasam was at the Southern Spice (see recipe below) at Taj Coromandel, Chennai. This restaurant debuted within the late 1990s and eventually the Elaneer payasam became one among their signature desserts. Restaurants like Southern Spice are a fan of coconuts from Pollachi (near Coimbatore) for the extraction of coconut milk and kernels. The tender flesh inside the coconut is additionally referred to as ‘Vazhukkai’ in Tamil. It is also mentioned as elaneer. This adds an exquisite light texture to the elaneer payasam. Elaneer is additionally wont to ask tender coconut milk. The health benefits of elaneer have made it an integral a part of summer diets across South India. It’s a high concentration of electrolytes, vitamins and minerals (like calcium, potassium and magnesium). It is also rich in Amino acids that are known to repair tissues and are building blocks of protein.
The unique textures and subtle flavors of tender coconut or elaneer have now made it a well-liked ingredient in western desserts across cities like Chennai and Bangalore where a young coconut mousse or tender coconut frozen dessert are not any longer exotic.
