A delicious thick and mouthful of a drink, that is well known in Kannur region of Kerala…
As soon as Ramadan had begun, I had seen this drink circulating on Instagram across many influencers. The recipe was a straightforward one, but all the additions into the drink sounded really interesting. I mean vermicelli, basil seeds, lots of bites of apple and pomegranate – what was not to love? I made this the first time when I had my friends for Iftar and one of them commented that she had this from her sister-in-law’s house, who is from Kannur. She remarked that they add a little custard powder to give the drink a nice flavor and a little thickness. What an idea that was! I am participating in this week’s Blogging Marathon #146 for the theme “Summer Coolers”.
This drink is called “Kannur Special Welcome Drink”. It is said that this is the drink that is served for weddings and functions as welcome drink for guests. It actually reminded me of the cardamom milk and the apple pista drink, that I would have at weddings during childhood. Now all these nostalgic drinks have given way to freshly made fruit juices, which somehow I feel takes away the whole feel of attending a wedding. Anyway, the recipes I saw online was to mix milk, condensed milk and cream together, add the vermicelli and cook it just till done. While it cools, the basil seeds are soaked to plump up, and the fruits are cut up. Then the whole thing is mixed up and allow to sit in the fridge till it is ready to serve. I followed this method the first time, but when my friend told me about adding custard, I added it the second time I made it and added almond slices for an extra bite. The custard added is so little that it doesn’t affect the color of the drink, but makes it a little more thick and creamy. Try this the next time you have guests. I can confirm to you that they will be charmed. 😉
Kannur Special Welcome Drink
Ingredients
- 500 ml milk
- 500 ml water
- 1/2 tin condensed milk refer notes
- 1 tin thick cream 125-170 gm
- 1 tbsp custard powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup vermicelli
- 2 tbsp basil seeds soaked to plum in 1/2 cup water
- 1 apple
- 1 pomegranate
- 2-3 tbsp sliced almonds optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk together ingredients from milk to salt. Bring it to heat on very low flame. Do not boil.
- As it starts to get hot, add the vermicelli and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping sides of the pan, till the vermicelli is done.
- Switch off and pour into a serving pitcher. Allow to cool completely
- Meanwhile, keep the basil seeds to get plumped.
- Chop the apple into small bite sized peices. Similarly remove the arils from the pomegranate.
- Once the drink is cool, add the plumped basil seeds, apple, pomegarante and almonds if using. Mix well.
- Allow it to rest in the fridge at least for a couple of hours till cold or till the time of serving.
- Before serving, mix well with a long spoon to combine and serve.
love this drink cum dessert… complete meal with vermiceli, fruits and milk… good to choose for any special event.
Omg !What an amazing welcome drink ! I think it will make an excellent dinner for me, so wholesome. Love everything that goes in, especially the idea of custard to thicken it. Perfect for a summer night, can’t wait to try it.
This is heaven for me! It is wonder to know how tasty a welcome drink will be. In fact, a memorable one too. I love it and thanks for sharing the recipe.