Tender coconut Pudding/ Bannankai Halubai

Have you ever faced the question, ‘how to use hard pulp of tender coconut’? This is the situation many times in which we drink tender coconut water and the malai or flesh or pulp of it would have become hard. We call that bannankai and finish it by adding that in neeru dosa. Recently we had many of them and tried preparing halubai or pudding which tasted really good. It becomes a healthy, filling evening snack for kids.

Halbai is a traditional dessert which can be prepared with rice-jaggery or finger millet – jaggery. It makes a healthy dessert when compared to other maida & sugar based sweets! Doesn’t that make sense?

Preparation time: 2 hours

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves – 20 pieces

Ingredients:

Tender coconut pulp/ malai – 1 cup (or grated coconut 1 cup)

White Rice – 1 cup, Basmati or dosa rice can be used

Jaggery – ½ cup, Adjust to sweetness needed

Vanilla Essence – few drops (I used dried vanilla bean)
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Wash & soak rice for 2-3 hours.
• Core out & collect the tender coconut pulp from the shell using a knife or large spoon.
• Grind soaked rice, coconut pulp, jaggery to smooth paste without using much water. That is, do not make the batter runny.
• Grease a plate or tray with little ghee and keep aside.
• Now, take a thick bottomed wok or pan. Add 1 tbsp ghee & ground rice & coconut batter to it. Add the vanilla bean or essence to it.
• Cook in medium flame stirring occasionally. Stir continuously & keep turning the mixture upside down when the mixture thickens. This is to avoid it from sticking to the pan. You can sprinkle little water if it looks uncooked. Add remaining ghee & sauté well.
• It is done when the pudding becomes glossy. It will take 30- 40 minutes.
• Transfer to the prepared greased plate. Allow to cool, cut into desired shape and serve.

Notes:

1. This pudding will not yield firm pieces like regular rice & jaggery halbai as there is more tender coconut content.  It will be little sticky. If you like firm pieces, increase rice & jaggery quantity & reduce tender coconut.
2. You can prepare jaggery syrup, filter to remove impurities & then add while cooking the pudding.
3. Cardamom can be used instead vanilla.
4. Store it in refrigerator for next day. It will taste good if refrigerated as well.
5. You can use grated coconut instead of tender coconut pulp.