FOOD 4 U: October 2007

The hard and rugged looking coconut has many culinary usages. While coconut flesh and milk are widely used in Asian cooking, coconut water is considered a highly nutritious drink.

COCONUT RICE

Ingredients

Coconut milk - 2 cups
Rice (soaked) - 1½ cups
Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Cloves - 4-5
Black peppercorns - 4-5
Onion, sliced - 1 medium
Sugar - 2 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

Method

1. Heat ghee in a deep pan. Add cloves, black peppercorns and onion. Sauté till onion starts turning brown.
2. Add sugar and sauté till it caramelizes. Add drained rice and stir gently so that the rice grains do not break.
3. Add coconut milk and one cup of water and stir.
4. When the mixture comes to a boil, add salt and boil for five minutes.
5. Cover and cook on medium heat till done.
6. Remove from heat and allow to rest for five minutes.
7. Serve hot.

MANGO AND COCONUT ICE CREAM

Ingredients

Mangoes, ripe - 2 medium
Lemon juice - 2 teaspoons
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cornflour - 3 tablespoons
Sugar - ½ cup
Salt - ¼ teaspoon
Coconut, scraped - 2 tablespoons
Egg whites - 2
Fresh cream - ½ cup

Method

1.Peel mangoes and make a puree of the pulp with lemon juice. Set aside.
2.Mix together coconut milk and half the milk in a saucepan.
3.Dissolve the cornflour in the remaining milk and add sugar and salt. Add this to the coconut milk mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until a thick custard is formed.
4.Add the scraped coconut. Mix and set aside to cool.
5.Add the mango puree and mix well. Pour into a lidded bowl and place in the freezer until half frozen.
6.Beat egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Beat cream.
7.Transfer the mango mixture to another bowl. Add the beaten egg whites and mix until smooth. Fold in the beaten cream and mix well.
8.Freeze this mixture for three hours. Remove from the freezer and beat again till smooth.
9.Return to the freezer until well frozen.

MIXED VEGETABLES IN COCONUT CURRY

Ingredients

Potatoes, 1 inch pieces - 2 medium
Cauliflower - 6-8 florets
Carrots, 1 inch pieces - 2 medium
Red pumpkin (bhopla), 1 inch pieces - 100 grams
Broad beans (papdi), 1 inch pieces - 8-10
Gram flour (besan) - 2 teaspoons
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Split black gram (dhuli urad dal) - 1 teaspoon
Whole dry red chillies, broken - 2-3
Curry leaves - 8-10
Garlic, crushed lightly - 8-10 cloves
Tamarind pulp - 2 teaspoons

Method

1. Take gram flour in a bowl and add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Add coconut milk and mix till smooth. Add half a cup of water and mix well.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add cumin seeds, split black gram and sauté till they begin to change colour. Add broken dry red chillies, curry leaves and garlic and sauté for a minute.
3. Add potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, pumpkin and mix well. Add salt and cook on high heat for three to four minutes. Add half a cup of water and cook.
4. Add the gram flour mixture and stir. Cook till thickens.
5. Add broad beans and continue to cook for three to four minutes.
6. Add tamarind pulp and mix. Simmer for a minute.
7. Serve hot with rice.

TENDER COCONUT AND CASHEWNUT MASALA

Ingredients

Tender coconut flesh - 1 cup
Cashewnuts - 25-30
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon
Garlic, crushed - 3-4 cloves
Onion, chopped - 1 large
Curry leaves - 5-6
Tomatoes, chopped - 2 medium
Turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Sea salt - to taste
Tomato puree - 3 tablespoons
Coconut, scraped - 2 tablespoons
Coconut milk, thick - ½ cup
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Cut the tender coconut flesh into long slices. Soak cashewnuts in water for an hour or two, then drain.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, crushed garlic and chopped onion. Sauté.
3. Add curry leaves to the slightly browned onion and stir. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook for a while.
4. Add the soaked cashewnuts and a little water. Cook for a while then add sea salt, tomato puree and mix.
5. Add coconut slices and scraped coconut and stir.
6. Add coconut milk and cook till almost dry.
7. Add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
8. Serve hot.