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.

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