These recipes, most of them with Asian-influences, use coconut milk and coconut cream, available in cans at supermarkets and food stores.
Did you know that the liquid you get inside a fresh coconut is not coconut milk but coconut water?
To make coconut cream, the white flesh of coconuts is grated and pressed using a special machine to extract the first pressing.
Hot water is then added and a second pressing produces coconut milk.
More hot water is added and a third pressing produces light coconut milk. This has much less fat than coconut cream, but also much less taste.
You can use any of the three varieties in the recipes below.
If you require more than one can of coconut milk for a recipe, then we found the best flavour came from using coconut cream diluted with water.
THAI CORN CHOWDER
Serves 6
3 ears of corn
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 stalks of lemongrass, bruised
1 litre of water
15ml oil
30g butter
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
10ml chopped garlic
1 red pepper, diced
salt and pepper
400g can of coconut milk
60ml chopped basil
45ml chopped mint
60g baby tomatoes, halved
1 bunch of spring onions, white part only, finely sliced
Cut the kernels off the ears of corn and set aside. Put the cobs into a saucepan with the onion, garlic, lemongrass and water. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Drain this through a sieve. Discard the solids and keep the liquid. It should be about 500ml.
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan and fry the four potatoes for 5-10 minutes over a gentle heat, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic, red pepper and seasoning and fry for another 5 minutes.
Add the reserved liquid and coconut milk, and the kernels. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in the herbs, tomatoes and spring onions and serve.
ROSE COCONUT CREAMS WITH RHUBARB
Serves 4
4 sheets of gelatine
400g can of coconut cream
125ml cream
60ml castor sugar
3ml rose extract
3ml vanilla essence
Rhubarb
300g rhubarb, chopped
30ml grenadine
30ml water
30ml castor sugar
Soak the gelatine in cold water.
Put coconut cream, cream and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and stir in the rose extract and vanilla.
Lift the softened gelatine out of the water and add to the coconut mixture. Stir until the gelatine is dissolved. Allow to cool slightly before pouring into four serving glasses. Set in the fridge.
Top with the rhubarb mixture before serving.
RHUBARB: Put the rhubarb, grenadine, water and castor sugar into a small saucepan and simmer gently until the rhubarb is soft.
Remove and cool before putting it on top of the coconut creams.
CHICKEN SATAY WITH PEANUT SAUCE
Serves 4
125ml coconut milk
10ml chopped garlic
5ml ground turmeric
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml mild curry powder
30ml peanut oil
125ml chopped coriander
500g chicken fillet strips
Peanut sauce
15ml peanut oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
5ml chopped garlic
5ml Thai green curry paste
125ml coconut milk
30ml smooth peanut butter
60-80ml ground roasted peanuts
15ml soy sauce
15ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
Combine the coconut milk, garlic, spices, peanut oil and coriander in a bowl and add the chicken. Leave to marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Thread the strips on to soaked wooden skewers and cook either on a braai or a griddle pan until cooked.
Serve with the peanut sauce.
PEANUT SAUCE: Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the curry paste and fry for a minute.
Add the coconut milk, peanut butter and ground peanuts. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce and lemon juice.
Add seasoning to taste.
RED LENTIL CURRY WITH FRAGRANT RICE
Serves 4
30ml oil
1 red onion, chopped
15ml chopped ginger
10ml chopped garlic
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml turmeric
5ml curry powder
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
250ml water
375ml red lentils
400g can of light coconut milk
salt and pepper
4-5 baby marrows, diced
125ml chopped coriander
Rice
250ml basmati rice
400g can of light coconut milk
125ml water
pinch of salt
Heat oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic. Fry gently until the onion is soft. Add spices and fry for a minute. Add the chilli, water, lentils, coconut milk and seasoning. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the chopped marrows and simmer for a further 10 minutes until lentils and marrows are soft. Stir in coriander just before serving.
Serve with fragrant rice.
RICE: Rinse the rice well under running water. Put it into a pan and add the coconut milk, water and salt.
Cover and bring to the boil. Turn the heat right down and simmer until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
Serve garnished with coconut flakes if desired.
CHICKEN SALAD
Serves 4
125ml coconut milk
10-15ml fish sauce
45ml grated palm sugar
500g chicken breast fillets
15ml sweet chilli sauce
15ml lime juice
10ml chopped ginger
a pillow packet of baby salad leaves
175g can of bamboo shoots, drained
one bunch of asparagus, blanched
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, seeded and sliced
45ml chopped basil
60ml mint leaves
60ml coriander leaves
50g cashew nuts, toasted
Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the chicken breasts, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken and, when cool enough to handle, shred with a fork.
Boil the poaching liquid to reduce it to about 80ml. Allow the liquid to cool, then add the sweet chilli sauce, lime juice and ginger. Mix well.
Combine the shredded chicken with the salad leaves, bamboo shoots, asparagus, red onion, spring onion, chilli and herbs and toss well.
Place into a serving dish and sprinkle over the nuts. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
l Palm sugar is sold at Asian stores . If you can’t find it, use brown sugar. - The Star