I don’t often prepare dishes that require cooked fruits as an ingredient. Mainly because my vegan doctor told me that it is not the healthiest way of eating fruits. However, I presume it is alright to cheat once in a while. I love this apple payasam so much that I decided to cheat a little on my birthday. And thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Yesterday, I asked my driver – Ravi Tanwar – what sweet dish he would like to have for Vishu/Varusha Pirappu (New Year for Malayalis and Tamilians). This falls on 14th. April for Tamilians and 15th. April for Malayalis. He promptly voted for this apple payasam! When I asked him why, he said that it tasted so delicious that the taste was still lingering in his mouth!

Ingredients
1 large apple, grated
3 cups coconut milk
2 cups date paste
20 gms cashew nuts
10 gms raisins
A generous pinch of cardamom powder
Method
Saute apples in a vessel for about 5 minutes, on medium flame
Add date paste and continue to saute for about a minute, till well blended
Add coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes
Set aside
Heat a small wok and roast the cashews and raisins for about a minute
Add to the apple mixture
Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well
Refrigerate for about an hour
Serve chilled
Enjoy!