Did you know where the agar-agar in your favourite dessert
comes from? The answer lies in Rameswaram, where we join women divers on their
quest for seaweed
collecting seaweed. Used for making agar-agar,
the marikolundhuvariety is sought after, and the women of Rameswaram go to
great lengths to collect a sackful, which will probably end up in a bowl
of payasam hundreds of kilometres away. Agar-agar or kadal paasi,
as it is known in Tamil, is ironically not part of the local cuisine. “I rarely
use it; it’s too expensive,” says Devi, removing her gloves. “But when I do get
a packet, I make halwa with coconut milk as the base. It’s
delicious.” A kilogram of dried seaweed fetches them ₹50. “We give it to the dealer in Chinnapalam,”
Tender coconut pudding with agar-agar (OPOS technique)
Ingredients
7 grams Agar-agar strands
1 cup Tender coconut water
1/2 cup Condensed milk
1 cup Thick milk
1/4 cup Fresh cream
1/2 cup Tender coconut flesh
Method
In a two-litre cooker, layer soaked and drained agar-agar
strands, tender coconut water and close. Cook on high for two whistles for
three minutes. Release pressure, and open. Add the condensed milk, milk, fresh
cream, tender coconut flesh and mix. Pour into a mould and allow to set in room
temperature. Serve chilled.
Recipe and photo: Tazin Faiz, co-author of e-book Non-Veg
Delicacies: OPOS Cookbook
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