I am a chef on a luxury world cruise liner. I love to cook and write recipes that are inspired by foods from all over the world.

Coolers refer to cold drinks, typically those that are made with wine or fruit juice. In my opinion, coolers are the best beverage to beat hot weather, especially during the summer season.

I enjoy eating fruit, so I tried to come up with a recipe that would allow me to combine fruit along with my favorite cooler ingredients. The recipe is not your typical cooler because it's also a snack!

Note: Quantities for certain ingredients are left unspecified. Feel free to add as much or as little of those ingredients as you like.

Cook Time

Cooler Ingredients

• Agar, diced
• Banana, diced
• Dragon fruit, diced
• Tapioca pearls
• Sweetened vanilla water (recipe below)

Sweetened Vanilla Water Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Utensils

For Preparation:

• 1 large bowl
• 4 medium bowls
• 2 small bowls
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Chopping board
• Knife

For Cooking:

• Pot
• Cooking spoon

Instructions

1. Cut dragon fruit and banana into bite-sized pieces. Keep inside the refrigerator.
2. Cook tapioca pearls and agar according to package instructions. Let it cool down before keeping it inside the refrigerator.
3. In a pot, cook sugar, vanilla extract, and water. Bring to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat.
4. Allow the mixture to cool down.
5. Transfer the sweetened vanilla water in a pitcher. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
6. Remove agar from the refrigerator. Cut it into small pieces. Set aside.
7. Start assembling the drink. Pour the sweetened vanilla water into a glass. Add a few spoonfuls of agar, banana, dragon fruit, and tapioca pearls.
8. Best served cold.

Tips

• You may substitute artificial sweeteners if you prefer.
• Add more ingredients if desired.
• Adjust the amount of vanilla extract if needed. The strength of the vanilla flavor may vary by brand.

More Easy-to-Make Dragon Fruit Recipes

• How to Make Dragon Fruit (Pitahaya) Jelly
  Flavor your jelly with the taste of dragon fruit, also known as pitahaya or pitaya. Not only is this fruit delicious, but it also offers lots of health benefits. Loaded with fiber, this fruit is recommended for those having bowel movement trouble.
• How to Make Dragon Fruit Apple Lemonade
  Have you ever tried dragon fruit, also called pitahaya? It's one of my favorite fruits! This is my recipe for dragon fruit apple lemonade.
• How to Make Dragon Fruit Sauce
  Are you a dragon fruit lover? Make a delicious dragon fruit sauce that you can use as a dessert topping or drink flavoring.

© 2018 Travel Chef

Comments

Travel Chef (author) from Manila on October 27, 2018:

Hello Mary,

True! It's really a perfect snack and drink for the summer season, but I would recommend to try it anytime. If you enjoy eating ice cream even during winter or cold days, surely you will love eating this snackable cooler as well.

Travel Chef (author) from Manila on October 27, 2018:

Hi Liz,

You can substitute any fruit for this recipe. Though I hope that someday you'll be able to try dragon fruit too in the UK. Have a wonderful weekend!

Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on October 27, 2018:

Am sure this is delicious in hot weather.

Liz Westwood from UK on October 27, 2018:

I haven't seen dragon fruit in the UK. But I will keep looking. In the meantime I think I could substitute other fruit.

Travel Chef (author) from Manila on October 27, 2018:

Hello Mike,

You can come up with different recipes using dragon fruit. Not only it is delicious, but also nutritious as well.

Mike Dave-CYbORG from Manila, Philippines on October 27, 2018:

Wow, we have a lot of that stuff in Philippines but I don't know how to make it that way. Thanks God and you're here master chef ;)

Travel Chef (author) from Manila on October 27, 2018:

Hi Stefan,

So true! But you can actually enjoy this recipe anytime you want to enjoy something delicious. Thanks for dropping by!

Stefan Reitsma from South Africa on October 27, 2018:

Great idea for hot summers.