BEVERAGE COOLER: SLUSHY GULAMAN DRINK

Slushy "Gulaman" Drink

"Gulaman" or gelatin drink is one very popular beverage cooler patronized by Filipinos especially during the very hot days of summer.

These are usually sold by ambulant vendors and thus, quality is sometimes suspect.

Here is a recipe which is very easy to prepare which you can let your whole family enjoy without you worrying that they'll get down with a food-borne illness. With this recipe, you don't need a blender , ice shaver or crushed ice to come up with a slushy drink. This also has lower glycemic index because I used coco sugar in place of  plain brown sugar. 

Get refreshed by this drink with less guilt! : ).

Slushy "Gulaman" Drink Recipe:

You will need:

1 cup or 110g coco sugar
1 cup water for making the coco sugar concentrate
2 cups water for diluting the coco sugar concentrate
1 package unflavored "gulaman" or gelatin powder

How to prepare:

1. Put one cup of water in a pan. Add the coco sugar into the pan.
2. Stir the mixture until coco sugar is fully dissolved. Heat the mixture until it boils. Simmer for three minutes.
3. Take the pan off the stove and cool the coco sugar concentrate.
4. When the coco sugar concentrate is already cool, place it in an empty ice cream tub. Add two cups of water to dilute the coco sugar concentrate.
5. Mix well to blend. 
6. Cover and place in the freezer. Wait until it solidifies.
7. Prepare the "gulaman" or gelatin according to package directions.

Frozen diluted coco sugar 

To serve:

1. Take out the frozen diluted coco sugar from the freezer and let it stand for about five (5) minutes or more at room temperature.
2. After five minutes, break the frozen diluted coco sugar into blocks the size of a cup.
3. Put one block each into cups and break the blocks with a spoon until you get a slushy consistency.
4. Top each slushy coco sugar drink with "gulaman" or gelatin cubes.

"Gulaman" or gelatin cubes

Coco sugar is available in leading supermarkets in Manila. I used the Coco Natura brand which is organic and 100% pure coconut sap. 

This slushy "gulaman" drink tastes slightly different from the "gulaman" drinks made with brown sugar. I found the diluted coco sugar to possess a burnt (but not bitter) caramelized flavor similar to the caramel in our leche flans (custard). It was also reminiscent of the "arnibal" or caramel used to top our "tahos".

Of course, you can always use plain brown sugar for this recipe if you are feeling less adventurous : ).

How did you find this recipe? Your comments are welcome.