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Divul kiri (wood apple drink)
දිවුල් කිරි: tangy wood apple pulp blended with coconut milk and kithul jaggery into a thick, cooling drink
In Sri Lanka's dry zone, around Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and down towards Hambantota, wood apple trees fruit through the hot months, and roadside sellers crack the hard grey shells open for you. Divul kiri, wood apple with coconut milk, is what families blend at home in the afternoon heat or offer guests during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season in April. The pulp is brown, sticky and full of seeds, with a sour, funky smell that turns fruity once it meets creamy coconut milk and dark jaggery. The drink is thick and smooth, tangy-sweet and a little smoky. The common mistake is blending the seeds in: they break and make the drink gritty and bitter. Squeeze the pulp by hand and strain out every seed before blending. It is ready when it is thick enough to coat a glass, pale caramel-brown and tastes clearly sour under the sweetness. Outside Sri Lanka, look for frozen or tinned wood apple pulp in South Asian shops; there is no true substitute, though tamarind pulp with a few soft dates gives a similar sweet-sour idea. Chef's tip: pick a fruit that sounds hollow when tapped and smells strongly when cracked; it is fully ripe.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the drink
- 1 ripe wood apple (divul)about 400 g; or 200 g frozen wood apple pulp, thawed
- 1 ¼ cups cold water
- 2 ⅛ oz kithul jaggery, gratedor palm sugar or dark muscovado
- ¾ cup thick coconut milk
- 1 pinch salt
To serve
- 8 ice cubes (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Crack the 1 ripe wood apple (divul) by hitting it firmly on a hard floor or with the back of a heavy knife, then scoop all the brown pulp into a bowl.
3 minStep 2: Pour over 200 ml of the ¾ cup cold water and leave for 5 minutes so the pulp softens.
5 minStep 3: Squeeze and rub the pulp through your fingers for 2–3 minutes until it dissolves into a thick brown liquid and the seeds come away clean.
3 minStep 5: Add 2 ⅛ oz kithul jaggery, grated, ¾ cup thick coconut milk, 1 pinch salt and the rest of the ½ cup cold water and blend for 30 seconds until smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and add more jaggery if very sour.
1 minStep 6: Pour over 8 ice cubes and serve straight away; it thickens as it stands, so stir in a splash of water if needed.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does divul kiri (wood apple drink) take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe wood apple (divul)?
- Pears, same amount.
- What can I use instead of kithul jaggery, grated?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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