1.Palmyra: A Summer Blessing

Article by keerthi S
1.Palmyra is a summer fruit which helps you beat the heat by providing adequate hydration and nourishment.Palmyra fruit is the juicy and fleshy fruit of the sugar palm tree, found in the coastal regions of India during summertime. Palmyra fruit has sweet and watery flavor and sometimes little bitter aftertaste. The outer cover of fruit is gelatinous and taste sweet and bland flavor. Inside the gelatinous pod there is little sugary coconut water like refreshing water. A native of South and Southeast Asia, Ice apple is a wonderful coolant and often recommended as a drink for the hot summer months. It is a rich source of antioxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C and B complex vitamins) and minerals (zinc, iron, potassium, and calcium. Palmyra is a semi-solid fruit with rehydrating properties, minerals, vitamins, fibers and cooling effect.

Palm Fruit Cools the Body. It pacifies and helps to rejuvenate our body.
The palm fruit is a natural coolant and helps to keep the body cool during summer. It also helps in preventing a number of heat related problems like prickly heat, dehydration, dry skin, kidney failure and hair loss. Not only does it hydrate your body, but it also helps replace the nutrients and electrolytes that are lost due to excessive sweating. Ice apple quenches your thirst and provides you with the energy to stay active throughout the day.

Some of the amazing medicinal benefits of Palmyra are: it has anti-inflammatory properties, cures digestive problems, relieves constipation etc. It is a reliable fruit to relieve sunstroke.

So why can't we try a summer special dessert with this amazing palmyra. I am here to introduce an irresistible taste with palmyra custard. Let's get into preparation and details.

These are the following ingredients to prepare a perfect blend of Palmyra custard:

1.palmyra -5
2.milk-300ml
3.custard powder- 1-2 tbsp
4.red cherries- 100g
5.sugar- 5-6tbsp
6.rosewater- 2 tbsp
7. Vanilla essence- 2-3 drops
8. Dry fruits and ghee to fry dry fuits
9. Add extra fruits according to your taste.

Preparation:
Firstly take 100ml of milk aside and mix custard powder in it without forming any lumps. Now, boil the remaining 200ml milk under medium flame. After milk heats up, keep it in low flame and pour custard mixed milk slowly. Stir slowly while mixing custard milk in boiled milk to avoid forming lumps. Add sugar and mix it. Let it heat for 2-3 minutes further. Lastly add vanilla essence and mix it.Now keep it aside to cool down for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut palmyra fruits into small pieces smoothly. Also chop cherries and other fruits such as banana, apple, water melon to add more taste. Also take a tawa, heat up ghee and lightly fry the dry fruits ( cashew, badam, apricot, kiss miss). After the milk has cool down, mix the chopped the fruits and rose water well. Here's a tip. Habituate using rose water in any of the desserts preparation. Because rose water has excellent hydrating properties and numerous medicinal values which is helpful in this summer. I have already posted an article unravelling benefits and mode of applications of rose. Now keep the custard in refrigerator for another 30-40 minutes. After it has chilled, serve it in bowls and garnish with dry fruits.

Your yummilicious palmyra custard is ready.