Hello and welcome to Cookies & Curries! Cooking is my best stress buster and I have always enjoyed cooking. This blog features vegetarian and vegan recipes from around the world, with emphasis on simple, healthy cooking with homemade and organic ingredients.
Welcome to Cookies & Curries, the new home of Haldi Mirch.
We have moved from www.haldimirch.net to cookiesandcurries.com. Please update your bookmarks and links!
Having grown up in the coastal regions of southern India, coconut water has always been my favorite drink. I drank coconut water almost everyday during those days and it was my go-to drink whenever I was visiting my grandparents’ plantations in Kerala. When I moved to the US, I missed it a lot! Needless to say, I tried almost every brand of coconut water available in the market, some inexpensive and some ridiculously overpriced! Although none of the packaged brands (Vita Coco, ZICO, Naked, Nirav etc.) really tasted like coconut water fresh out of a cut coconut, a few of them did manage to impress me. Of those, Cocozia was one. Although, priced a little on the higher side, it tastes closest to fresh coconut water, i.e. not too sweet, not too bland. Unlike a few other brands that I have tried, it does not taste medicinal. Cocozia definitely gets a thumbs up!
Below: fresh coconuts on a tree by the beach (right outside the cottage we stayed in) – from one of our favorite trips south of the border in Mexico!
COCOZIA coconut water is 100% organic and has no added sugar or preservatives. It is packaged at source, in the Philippines, and not freeze dried like a few other brands in the market. As you can see above, the coconut water from the pack was lightly off colored but this did not seem to affect the taste. Although I prefer drinking it at room temperature, its tastes equally good when chilled before drinking.
I know that many of my friends do not like the taste of plain coconut water. So, I tried making a mint-lemonade using COCOZIA coconut water. Although it turned out pretty good, I like it the plain old way. In the recipe section below, I have only listed the ingredients but not quantities. Quantities can be varied as per one’s tastes.
Coconut-Mint Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
COCOZIA coconut water
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh grated ginger
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Honey
Method
Muddle the mint leaves and ginger in a jar. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, coconut water, and honey. Stir and cool. Tastes best when cold.
A pinch of salt can be added if required.
[Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I did receive the product for review. All opinions are mine.]
