Coconut, Page 2
RECIPES
Coconut milk can be
used in both sweet and savory dishes. In some Asian countries,
the fat from the coconut is used as the main cooking oil instead
of other vegetable oils and butter or ghee. Many Thai, Vietnamese,
Haitian African, Puerto Rican and Indian recipes use this ingredient.
Coconut Milk
2 cups of unsweetened
grated coconut, fresh or packaged
2 cups boiling water
Pour the water of the
coconut and let sit for about 15 minutes or until cool enough
to handle. Pick up handfuls of the pulp and squeeze the liquid
out into a bowl. Continue until as much liquid has been extracted
as possible. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. Vary the
amount of water depending on the desired thickness of the coconut
milk.
Corn Soup with Lemongrass
and Crab
Serves: 4
4 cups corn
14 oz. can of Coconut Milk
2 tablespoon (mostly whites) + 4 teaspoons scallions (whites only)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon chili oil
16 oz. Alaskan King crab leg
Cook corn in a cup
of water and drain. Add coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of scallions.
Puree in batches. Force through a sieve and discard the solids
leftover. Pour puree into a pot. Add salt and pepper. Bring to
a boil and lower temperature to simmer until heated through. Cut
crab shells and extract meat. Cut meat into bit size pieces. Pour
soup into individual bowls. Place the crab in the center of each
serving. Pour in a few drops of chili oil onto each and scatter
1 teaspoon of scallion each.
Thai Chicken and
Coconut Soup
Makes: 2 Servings
2 cups chicken broth
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup
1/4-inch-thick slices fresh lemongrass
1 large chicken breast half with skin and ribs
1 tablespoon (or more) lime juice
1/2 jalapeño chili, minced
Finely chopped fresh cilantro
Bring first 3 ingredients
to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat, add chicken and
simmer until almost cooked through, turning occasionally, about
12 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; cool. Remove chicken skin
and bones. Cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces.
Strain soup through
sieve into small saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and jalapeño
to soup and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes.
Add chicken and simmer just to heat through. Taste, adding more
lime juice if desired. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with fresh
cilantro.
Thai Banana Cooked
in Coconut Milk
Serves: 2
2 large bananas
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
dash of salt
Slice the bananas into
spears. Pour the coconut milk into a pan. Add the sugar and salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil and add the bananas. Bring back to
a boil and let boil for a few minutes. Remove from pan and serve.
East African Variation
- Add pinches of cinnamon and curry powder to the coconut milk.
Puerto Rican Spiked
Coconut Milk
This is a classic drink in Old San Juan.
Serves: 6
2 cups white rice
10 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup sugar
6 shots rum
Place the rice in a
bowl and cover with 4 cups of water and let soak for 45 minutes.
Drain the rice, pour into a food processor and pulse five times
so it is all chopped up. Pour the chopped rice back into the bowl
and add coconut milk, cinnamon and 6 cups of warm water. Let rest
for an hour. Strain through a fine sieve. Add the sugar and stir.
Let the sugar dissolve and refrigerate the drink until chilled.
Fill large tumblers with ice and pour in the drink. Then add one
shot of rum per drink. Sprinkle the drinks with a little cinnamon
and serve.
Indian Yellow Rice
Makes: 4 cups
1 cup rice, washed
1 cup water
2 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 cups coconut milk, hot
2 teaspoon salt
Bring the water to
a boil and add rice, stir once and cover the pan. Lower the heat
so the water is just simmering and let simmer for about 7 minutes.
Add turmeric, coconut milk and salt and stir until all combined.
Let simmer until all the milk is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and
serve.
Spicy Indian
Lamb with Coconut Milk
Serves: 4 to 6
4 large onions
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
6 whole cloves
6 green cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups coconut milk
Salt
1 1/2 lbs lamb
1/2 lb small potatoes
12 jalapeño chilies
3 tablespoons ginger
1 tablespoon flour
Slice the onions finely
except for two, which should be cut into quarters and put to the
side. In a large saucepan, melt the butter or ghee and add the
thinly sliced onions, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Cook until
the spices have been toasted a bit and the onions are well cooked.
Pour in half the coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium
heat.
Cut the lamb into 1
1/2-inch cubes. Add the meat to the pan and salt to taste. Cover
the pan and let simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes
and boil them until almost tender. De-vein and remove the seeds
from the peppers and slice into strips. Once the meat is almost
tender, add the remaining quartered onions, ginger and the peppers.
Continue to cook the
meat until it is tender. Add the potatoes, flour and remaining
coconut milk and stir to combine. Let the sauce thicken slightly
and then remove from the heat and serve.
Coconut Rice Pudding
Serves: 6
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup rice
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Soak the raisins in
water while the pudding is cooking. Combine coconut milk and rice
in a heavy-bottomed pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Lower the heat
and cook until the pudding is creamy. Stir occasionally so rice
does not stick to the sides and bottom of the pot. Combine sugar,
yolks and vanilla extract. While stirring slowly pour the egg
mixture into the pudding. Place the pot back on the heat and cook
for five more minutes. Drain the raisins and stir into the rice
pudding. Serve.
Chicken in Coconut
Milk from Madagascar
Serves: 6
3/4 pounds chicken
salt
pepper
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons ginger
16 oz coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Cut the chicken into
small pieces. Place chicken, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, ginger
and 2 cups of water into a pan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil.
Add coconut milk and turmeric mix well and cook until the liquid
has thickened. Serve over rice.
Brazilian Coconut
Shrimp
Serves: 6
2 dried Poblano chilies
1 onion, diced 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 pounds shrimp
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup coconut milk
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
salt
pepper
4 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Soak chilies in hot
water for 15 minutes and drain. Chop up the chilies. Heat vegetable
oil in pan and sauté onions until soft; add chopped chilies and
red pepper and sauté an additional five minutes. Add shrimp and
cook five minutes until just pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
Add tomato, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. Bring
to a boil then lower the heat and simmer until it thickens, 10
minutes. Return shrimp and add the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro
and serve over rice.
Return
to Coconut, Page 1
Gabriella True has
had a passion for cooking since the day her Mom let her pound
down the freshly risen dough created from her Grandmother's bread
recipe. In fifth grade she chose Julia Child as her hero to write
about in English class. Growing up in the heart of New York City
she was able to avidly explore the foods of the world. Since then
she has catered small parties and spent hours writing and testing
recipes to share with her loyal audience. She began writing about
food, its culture and history through her association with Splendid
Palate. You can contact the author directly via email at Gabriella@splendidpalate.com
