Aparajita Nice Cream

Recipe PREP 5 min, plus steeping time COOK 15 min, plus freezing time

Aparajita Nice Cream

PREP 5 min, plus steeping time COOK 15 min, plus freezing time

Description & Benefits

This vibrant nice cream is made with aparajita (butterfly pea flower) and naturally sweetened with bananas. Packed with antioxidants and potassium, it supports heart health, promotes immunity, and improves mood. Lychees and tulsi leaves add a refreshing touch, while the calming blue hue and tulsi's adaptogenic effects promote relaxation and restful sleep.

The Notesv2

Pre-prep note: Peel, chop & freeze bananas 4 hours or overnight

Ingredients

4 SERVES

For the Nice Cream

1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut milk
15 to 20 dried aparajita (butterfly pea) flowers, or 2 to 3 tsp butterfly pea powder
1 vanilla pod
4 (600 g) ripe bananas, peeled, chopped and frozen
A pinch of seal salt

For the Garnish

4 fresh lychees
5 to 8 tulsi (holy basil) or purple basil leaves
1 Tbsp toasted shredded coconut
1/4 cup edible flowers such as phlox

Directions

Step 1

Heat coconut milk in a shallow pan until just about to simmer. Add butterfly pea flowers, stir and continue to warm over very low heat for about 2 minutes. Slit the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the coconut milk. Stir and switch off heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover, and let it steep in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Step 2

Drop frozen bananas into a blender and strain in the coconut milk, removing the flowers and vanilla pod. Add a tiny pinch of sea salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pulse or blend in short bursts, pushing down the mixture with a wooden spoon. If your bananas were well frozen, the nice cream is ready to garnish and serve; if you prefer it firmer, pour it into a container and return to the freezer to let it harden, about 2 to 4 hours.
Step 3

Prepare the garnish: Peel lychees, slit to remove the seeds, and cut into long slivers. Cut the basil leaves into long slivers or leave them whole.
Step 4

Take out the nice cream and scoop out to serve. You may need to let it soften on the counter for 10 minutes. Garnish with toasted coconut, lychee, edible flowers and tulsi.

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About the author

Eeshaan Kashyap

Eeshaan Kashyap is a Delhi-based chef and food stylist who works at the intersection of food and art though curating culinary events. He is the artist-designer behind Tablescape, an online tableware store.

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