Summer is upon us and with summer come some delicious tropical fruits! Watermelon is one such fruit that refreshes you with every bite. Kokum is also a fruit found in plenty during the summer time. Feni is a popular Goan cashew liquor. It is World Feni Week and I wanted to do something to highlight this Goan liquor. I could not think of a better way than to make a granita. Hansel Vaz has left no stone unturned to showcase this local drink on a global level. Back in the day, on summer nights, when there were not many street lights, you would see fireflies. For the little me clenched by my dad’s wrist, terrified of the endless imaginary monsters that could possibly be hiding in the dark, they were the only source of light and reassurance that I will beat the darkness to safely reach my destination. A firefly is called “Cazulo” in Konkani. Hansel’s brand, Cazulo, gives me the same light of hope that our traditional Goan ways of liquor making will be preserved for generations to come.
Cheers!
What you will need:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Fresh Watermelon Juice (without pulp) | 1 cup |
| Honey/Agave/Sugar (optional) | 1 teaspoon |
| Kokum Syrup | 1/4 cup |
| Lemon Juice | 3 tablespoons |
| Liquor of Your Choice (I used Feni. Tequila, Vodka and Rum work well too) | 3 tablespoons |
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Freeze Time: Around 5 hours
Serving: 2
How to make it:
- To make watermelon juice: Use a seedless watermelon if possible. Blend the watermelon in a mixer. Strain the juice and set aside. You need 1 cup of water melon juice for this recipe.
- To the watermelon juice, add 1/4 cup kokum syrup.
- Add 3 tablespoons each of lime juice and liquor of your choice. I used feni for this recipe. You can skip the liquor all together if you want to make a kid friendly version of granita.
- You can add honey or agave if you like it sweeter. I did not add any sweetener.
- Mix everything well and place in a wide and flat container.
- Place in the freezer. Check after the first hour and use a fork and scrap the freezing mixture. Place it back in the freezer.
- There after, check every 45 minutes and scrap the granita with the fork. Ensure that the mixture does not set as a block but rather as shaved ice. Repeat the process for 5 hours at least or until you do not see any liquid at the bottom of the container.
- Enjoy on a hot summer day!