Tender Coconut Malai Kheer or Elaneer Payasam is a mildly sweet, hearty, and addictive kheer or pudding recipe that you should try this festival season.
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What is Kheer?
Kheer is a popular Indian dessert or sweet pudding prepared using three basic ingredients. The first two ingredients are milk and sugar, and the third ingredient can vary. It can be rice, sabudana, chana dal or any lentil, badam, makhana, etc.
Today, I have added coconut water and coconut flesh (malai) to give the kheer an entirely new look and flavor.
What is Tender Coconut Kheer?
Tender coconut kheer, also called Elaneer payasam, is a mildly sweet and flavorful recipe prepared using tender coconut water and coconut flesh, sugar, and milk. You can flavor it with ghee, cardamom powder, and nuts of your choice.
Which coconut water to use to make this payasam or kheer?
As per the title tender, young unripe coconut water is used to make this kheer or payasa.
What is coconut flesh or coconut malai?
When we drink the water from unripe or tender coconut directly, there is a soft white creamy flesh-like layer. In English, it is also called young coconut meat or green coconut flesh, and in Hindi, we call it malai. In the Konkani language, it is referred to as Shiyale (bonde) kattoli or pimpo. In Telugu it is called as leta kobbari malai or kobbari bondamu malai, in Tamil as Elaneer malai or Ilanir tenkai malai, in Malayam as karikku
How to serve Tender Coconut Malai Kheer?
Tender Coconut Malai Kheer can be served cold or warm, but to get the authentic rich flavor, once you mix the coconut malai and water with sweetened milk, refrigerate for at least 2 hours. It tastes heavenly when it is served chilled. I generally make this the night before and keep it in the refrigerator, and enjoy it as a dessert the next day. Therefore, this is one of the best and easy make-ahead desserts for a party or a gathering.
Ingredients for Tender Coconut Malai Kheer | ELaneer Payasam
1 tablespoon Ghee or brown butter (vegan butter for vegan version)
2 cups Milk (Coconut milk for vegan version)
¼ cup Sugar
2 tablespoon Cashews
2 tablespoon Almonds
2 tablespoon Raisins
¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
½ cup Malai or coconut flesh
½ cup Tender coconut water
How to make Tender Coconut Malai Kheer or Elaneer paysam?
To know how to remove the water and flesh from tender coconut, check out the video here.
In a pan on medium heat, add ghee. Once hot, add almonds and cashews and saute until golden. To this, add raisins and saute for 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer this to a plate, set it aside.
Add the milk to the same pan, bring it to a boil, and simmer until it reduces to almost half. Then, add sugar and cardamom powder. Switch off the flame, and let this cool completely.
Once the milk is cooled, add coconut malai (flesh), coconut water, and roasted nuts, and mix until combined. Keep this in the refrigerator till you are ready to serve.
Tips:
- Do not mix coconut water and flesh when the milk is warm. Wait until the milk comes to room temperature. The milk may curdle if coconut water is added when warm.
- Adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of malai and coconut water.
- I have made it mildly sweet and of a thinner consistency. You can make it thick by reducing the amount of coconut water you add to the recipe.
- This kheer or payasam can be easily made vegan.
Can I use jaggery to make kheer or paysam?
Yes. You can add jaggery instead of sugar to the kheer. But add the jaggery along with malai and coconut water after the reduced milk has come to room temperature. Otherwise, the hot milk is likely to curdle when jaggery or coconut water is added.
CHECK OUT SOME OF MY FAVORITE AND POPULAR INDIAN KHEER DESSERT OR PAYASAM RECIPES
- Sabudana Kheer
- Chana Dal Sabudana Kheer
- Doodhpak or Rice pudding
- Phool Makhana Kheer
- Gasagase Payasa or Poppy Seeds Pudding
- Vermicelli Kheer
- Mango Kheer or Semiya Payasam
- Madgane or Paysam
Video recipe for Tender Coconut Malai Kheer or paysam
Detailed recipe for Tender Coconut Malai Kheer or payasam
Recipe card
Tender Coconut Malai Kheer | Elaneer Payasam
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or brown butter (vegan butter for vegan version)
- 2 cups Milk or Coconut milk
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Cashews
- 2 tablespoon Almonds
- 2 tablespoon Raisins
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- ½ cup Malai or coconut flesh
- ½ cup Tender coconut water
Instructions
- In a pan on medium heat, add ghee. Once hot, add almonds and cashews and saute until golden. To this, add raisins and saute for 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer this to a plate, and set it aside.1 tablespoon Ghee, 2 tablespoon Cashews, 2 tablespoon Almonds, 2 tablespoon Raisins
- Add the milk to the same pan, bring it to a boil, and simmer until it reduces to almost half. Then, add sugar and cardamom powder. Switch off the flame, and let this cool completely.2 cups Milk, ¼ cup Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- Once the milk is cooled, add coconut malai (flesh), coconut water, and roasted nuts, and mix until combined. Keep this in the refrigerator till you are ready to serve.½ cup Malai, ½ cup Tender coconut water
Notes
- Do not mix coconut water and flesh when the milk is warm. Wait until the milk comes to room temperature. The milk may curdle if coconut water is added when warm.
- Adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of malai and coconut water.
- I have made it mildly sweet and of a thinner consistency. You can make it thick by reducing the amount of coconut water you add to the recipe.
- This kheer or payasam can be easily made vegan.
Nutrition
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Anjali
This recipe for knee turned out to be absolutely delicious and it was so easy to make! Yum!