Coconut milk is ideal for cooking and baking and is a great dairy substitute. Angela Day shows how to use it in five tasty recipes.
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Coconut Harissa Paneer
Chilled Coconut Avocado Soup
Coconut Rice With Chicken
Coconut Tart
Coconut Pineapple Puddings With Rum Sauce
COCONUT HARISSA PANEER
Serves 4
60ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5ml crushed garlic
2cm piece of ginger, grated
15ml harissa paste
400g tin of coconut milk
250ml vegetable stock
500g paneer, cut in cubes
1 yellow pepper, cut in cubes
salt and pepper
125ml chopped fresh coriander
Heat half the oil in a pot and fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes. Add the harissa paste and fry for 2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the paneer cubes until lightly golden. Drain on paper towel.
Then add together with the yellow pepper to the thickened coconut sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
Check for seasoning, add the chopped coriander and serve on a bed of rice.
CHILLED COCONUT AVOCADO SOUP
Serves 8-10
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 avocados, peeled and coarsely chopped
5-10ml Thai green curry paste
10ml sugar
10ml finely grated lime zest
30ml lime juice
45ml sweet chilli sauce
30ml fish sauce
400g tin of coconut milk
250ml cold water
60ml Greek yoghurt
a bunch of coriander
salt and pepper
TO GARNISH
sliced avocado, cucumber and toasted coconut flakes
In a food processor, puree the cucumber until smooth.
Add the rest of the ingredients and process until blended and smooth.
Taste for seasoning and add as desired.
Transfer soup to a large bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow to chill.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls or small glasses and garnish with sliced avocado, cucumber and toasted coconut flakes.
COCONUT RICE WITH CHICKEN
Serves 6
8-10 chicken thighs
salt and pepper
30ml oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 punnet of baby marrows, diced
15ml ground coriander
20ml ground cumin
5ml dried chilli flakes
375ml basmati rice
400g tin of coconut milk
500ml chicken stock
15ml lemon juice
125ml chopped fresh parsley
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
In a large heavy-based pot, heat the oil and brown the chicken well on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, carrots, yellow pepper and baby marrows to the pot and fry for 5 minutes. Add the spices and fry for a further 5 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat with the spices. Fry for 2 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and chicken stock, stir well until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Then nestle the chicken into the rice, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes, until rice and chicken are cooked.
Stir in lemon juice and parsley and serve.
COCONUT TART
Serves 8-10
250ml castor sugar
100g butter, softened
250ml flaked almonds, toasted
250ml desiccated coconut
125ml flour, sifted
grated rind and juice of 1 large lemon
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
4 eggs
250ml coconut milk
lightly whipped cream to serve
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 25cm pie plate well.
Place the sugar, butter, toasted flaked almonds, desiccated coconut, sifted flour lemon and orange rind and juice into a food processor.
Whisk the eggs and coconut milk together and add to the food processor. Blend until well combined.
Pour into the prepared pie plate and bake for 1 hour until lightly browned.
Remove and cool completely. Then refrigerate for 1 hour to chill. Serve with whipped cream.
COCONUT PINEAPPLE PUDDINGS WITH RUM SAUCE
Makes 6
400g pineapple rings, drained
glace cherries
125g butter, room temperature
180ml brown sugar
2 eggs
60ml flour
250ml self-raising flour
125ml desiccated coconut
180ml coconut milk
RUM CARAMEL SAUCE
125ml brown sugar
250ml cream
80ml golden syrup
60g butter
60ml dark rum
Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease and base-line a mega muffin pan. Place one pineapple ring and a cherry in each muffin hole.
Using an electric beater, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine the flours and coconut and add alternately with the coconut milk to the creamed mixture. Gently mix until combined.
Divide the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. Smooth the surface and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Remove the puddings from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes and loosen with a butter knife around the edges. Then turn out on to a wooden board.
Place each pudding in a serving bowl and smother with the rum sauce.
RUM SAUCE: Combine the sugar, cream, syrup and butter in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly to thicken. Once thickened, stir in the rum.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.