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 on a braai or a griddle pan. 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.
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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 the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
Serve garnished with coconut flakes if desired.
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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, coconut milk and corn kernels.
Cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in the herbs, tomatoes and spring onions and serve.
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ROSE COCONUT CREAMS WITH STRAWBERRY
Serves 4
4 sheets of gelatine
400g can of coconut cream
125ml cream
60ml castor sugar
3ml rose extract
3ml vanilla essence
300g strawberries, 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 strawberry mixture before serving.
For the strawberries: Put the strawberries, grenadine, water and castor sugar into a small saucepan and simmer gently until soft.
Remove and cool before putting it on top of the coconut creams.
Saturday Star