Every Kerala veranda keeps a panikkoorka plant — the soft, thick-leaved Indian borage that grandmothers pass along in old tins and broken pots. This is our hot-afternoon drink built around it: crushed panikkoorka, cool aloe, tender coconut water, lime, and a good spoon of raw honey. Crisp, green and cold — the taste of shade on a hot day.
You need
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 5–6 fresh panikkoorka (Indian borage) leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh aloe vera gel, thoroughly rinsed
- 200 ml tender coconut water (or chilled water)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- A pinch of salt
The way
- Gently crush the panikkoorka leaves in a mortar and pestle — you want about a teaspoon of fresh green juice.
- Blend the rinsed aloe gel with the coconut water, lime juice and salt until smooth, just 5–10 seconds.
- Pour into a tall glass. Stir in the panikkoorka juice and the honey until the honey fully dissolves.
- Serve chilled over ice, with a leaf or a lime wheel on top.
One rule: rinse freshly scooped aloe gel under cold running water for a good thirty seconds — the yellow sap at the rind is bitter, and rinsing leaves only the clear, clean-tasting gel.
Made with our raw honey — the jars reach the shop when we open.