Chilled Guava ~ Amla Panak (Spiced Coolant).

"Chilled Guava (Peru) ~ Amla (Avalo / Gooseberry) Panak (Spiced Coolant)" ... Panak is a Sweet~Spicy~Tangy traditional Konkani Drink served during festive times … Today, I prepared my own fusion coolant of the same using fresh fruits ... Guava (Peru) and Amla (Avalo) … Tastes Yumz … Enjoy …...

Panak is a traditional Amchi drink that is famous among Konkani Saraswat Community and is served during festive times. It is a spicy ~ sweet ~ tangy drink traditionally prepared with jaggery / goda, dry ginger, lemons, spices etc. I have prepared and shared many variations of my own with basic ingredients keeping intact and with addition of fruit juices etc. Today however, I gave this drink a complete twist and prepared the same with guava and amla while retaining the spices as of the traditional panak. It tastes very awesome when served chilled. Both peru and amla are in season now, so I try to make the best use of them by mix and matching my own way. Do give this drink a try, I am sure you will love it. Many more are sure to follow. Pink peru is something I get very rarely in my vicinity. Though I have used it as I had it in my home, you can use any peru that is available to you.  Amla is gooseberry which is available and in season now. Again I have used sugar, you can add jaggery too, whichever is suitable to you, though traditionally it is prepared using jaggery. 

** Here is the Simple Recipe to "Chilled Guava~Amla Panak (Spiced Coolant)" ….. 

** There are 2 ways of preparing / cooking the Amla / gooseberry / nellikai / avalo. 

** Method 1 : Wash and wipe fresh 5-6 large sized amlas / gooseberry / avalo and slice the 4 sides. Put it in a vessel along the slices and the seeds if there is flesh portion attached to it. Add in 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Remove, cover and keep aside for 5-10 minutes. 

** Method 2 :  You can use Microwave method, which is faster. For this method, Wash and wipe fresh 5-6 large sized amlas and slice the 4 sides. Put it in a microwave proof glassware along with the slices and the seeds if there is flesh portion attached to it. Add in 1/4 cup of water and put it in microwave oven partially covered. Microwave on high for just 2 mins. and leave it in the oven for 3-4 mins. It's done. 

** I always use Microwave Method a lot, here I also, I used the same, you may choose either of the 2 methods mentioned above for cooking the amlas.

** Once the amla has cooled down a bit,  gently remove all flesh portions from the amla, the one's that are stuck to the seed too and discard the seeds. Retain the cooked portion aside along with water in which it was cooked. We need the water while grinding. 

** Wash and wipe clean 1 large sized guava and slice of the edges. Cut it into medium sized cubes. I have used pink colour guava here, you can use any colored that is available to you. 

** Add in the guava cubes and the cooked amla along with the water into a mixer grinder. Add in more water if necessary. You may need 1-2 glasses. Run the mixer till the mixture is ground. 

** Note : The Guava / peru seeds will not get ground, but if the mixer is run for too long it may leave in some grains. To avoid that add in sufficient water and see to it that you do not grind on high speed for too long. 

** Remove the ground pulp and sieve it through a muslin cloth or fine sieve. Muslin cloths are the best to sieve for juices where seeds are involved as it stains even the fine grains which sometimes a fine sieve cannot. Collect the sieved pulp in a large vessel. 

** Wash the mixer grinder and add in 3 cups of sugar, 1 tblsp of ginger powder, 1 tsp of coarsely ground pepper powder and 1-2 cups of the pulp and grind to a fine mixture. The sugar should have completely been ground. 

** Note : I have used sugar, you can use grated jaggery / gud too.  Most of the time I use jaggery and avoid sugar, but today as I was in a hurry and also did not have sufficient jaggery at home, I used sugar. So choose as per your liking, preferably jaggery. 

** Add the ground spices to the remaining ground pulp mixture and mix well. Add in 1 tsp of kala namak and freshly squeezed juice of one large sized lemon. Mix all well. 

** If the mixture is too think add in sufficient water. The consistency of panak is not too thick. But since its fruit based here, I have kept the consistency a little bit thicker than the normal panak. Put it fridge for 3-4 hours to get chilled. 

** Note : You can add in some roasted white sesame seeds too as garnishing. I have not added, as I did not want my guests to have munch on them also some do not like it. 

** "Chilled Guava (Peru) ~ Amla (Avalo / Gooseberry) Panak" is done and ready to be served. Serve chilled in glasses topped with ice cubes. Tastes heavenly when served very chilled. Especially if it’s hot season, then this chilled drink really cools one down. But the same can be served any time of the year, as the spices produces heat to the body too. But if winter, do not serve it too chilled, if the weather is cold outside. Though its winter season now in Mumbai, it is not so cool during day time, so I enjoyed this coolant mid morning after reaching office in humid heat. The spice and tangy taste remain in the mouth for quite some time … So go ahead and prepare this one as a serving drink to your guest during any festival time or function or any other occasion and enjoy and get the satisfaction of seeing people smile ...… J J J

** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group for "Konkani Saraswats" by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring".