A few years ago, I posted an Irish cream recipe that involved making sweetened condensed milk as part of the process. I still love that one, and probably prefer it slightly. But, I also have a faster recipe for times when I’m not going to stand over the stove stirring.
Ingredients
1-1.5 cups Irish Whisky
1 small can (about 11.25 oz) sweetened condensed coconut milk
1 cup soy milk or soy half & half (or other non-dairy milk – the creamier the better)
This week, I bought a fresh coconut. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but it was in my Imperfect Foods (referral link – we both get $10 toward a box) order and so there we were. Me. And a coconut. Looking at each other.
Image by tree-species on Flickr
Somewhere in the back of my mind was a vague memory of coconut fried rice. So, I googled around, never quite finding the right recipe, but getting enough info to cobble together. And then decided to partner it with a very basic Thai curry.
Coconut Fried Rice
Ingredients 8 cups cooked and chilled rice (I used Loto Rice for something different) 2-3 cups coconut meat, finely chopped (fresh or frozen fresh) ⅓ inch of fresh ginger, finely diced or grated ½ teaspoon garlic, minced ¼ cup coconut water or 1 tsp olive oil in scant ¼ cup water 2 TBSP olive or sesame oil 2-3 scallions, chopped
Process – Add coconut, ginger, and garlic to a wok or large sauté pan. – Cook over medium-high heat, tossing frequently for even toasting. If/when it begins to get overly dry, add a bit of the coconut water. You likely won’t use the whole amount. – Once coconut meat has become slightly golden, push to the sides of the pan and add oil. Allow to heat and then add rice. – Toss rice in oil area for a few moments, then reincorporate the coconut meat mix. – Add scallions, reduce heat a bit, and continue to cook for 5-8 minutes. – If you aren’t ready to serve yet, lower heat to low and just remember to stir occasionally. Do not cover with a lid. You don’t want rice to get mushy.
Easy Thai Chickpea Curry
Ingredients 2 TBSP olive oil 1 medium onion, diced ½ inch of ginger, minced or grated 1 red pepper, diced 2 cans chickpeas, drained 1 can diced tomatoes 2 tsp Thai red curry paste 1 can full-fat coconut milk 1 large handful of kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped/ripped
Process – Sauté onion, pepper, and ginger in olive oil over medium heat until onion is translucent. – Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and curry paste – Cook until heated through – Smash up some of the chickpeas for texture and to help thicken – Add coconut milk and stir in – Add kale, cover, and allow to simmer 5 minutes – Reduce heat to low until ready to serve
I made soup and baguettes today. The soup looks prettier, though the baguettes were tasty. I sort of fake this soup recipe, so I am guessing on the amounts!
Ingredients 4 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion 2 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp minced ginger 3 lbs of sweet potatoes, chopped 2 lbs of white potatoes, chopped 2 quarts of vegetable (or faux chicken) broth Curry powder Cumin Red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 1 large can of coconut milk
Process Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and ginger to your pressure cooker and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the potatoes, broth, and seasoning and put the lid on. Bring to high pressure and cook for 20 minutes, then allow to come back down. Use an immersion blender or other blender to blend soup, then add the coconut milk and allow to simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve with crusty bread!
