Shake it up, baby

One of my most enduring memories of Bali is the avocado shake called Apulkat. I remember the first ambrosiac taste of this creamy smoothie blended with honey and my joy at finding out that it cost a mere RM2 (in those days).

Since then I have not had an Apulkat, even when the Indonesian restaurants began offering it on the menu. There is roil of distaste at paying RM8 for a drink, especially when I knew it wouldn’t be as great as the first time. Very few things are.

However, providence provides and my windfall of avocados made it quite impossible to eat 20 with Tabasco or Lea & Perrins. And since guacamole is best eaten with corn chips which will set me back another RM15, thus negating the cheapness of the avocado (Malaysian made Chacos just don’t taste the same), it was clear that I was to make Apulkat.

With best buddy-near sister Jade in town for a visit, I had a ready taker for it. Kit dislikes avocados immensely and I hate making stuff for one person. My version of Apulkat is the Avocado Basil Chill (my very own ABC). I used three avocados, 300 mls of full cream milk, a vanilla bean, five basil leaves, a handful of ice cubes and half a cup of the precious maple syrup my aunt Jeannie brought from Canada when she visited. 30 seconds in my 650 Phillips blender on the smoothie setting and a sprig of basil from the garden as garnish and I presented Jade with something healthy and delicious. Beat that, Westin Financial Street Beijing!