Vegan Coconut Milk Rice Pudding with Citrus and Ginger

August 18, 2015February 8, 2016 Belinda

I could eat this whole thing in one go, being a coconut addict and it’s delicious for breakfast, lunch or dessert for dinner. The addition of the ginger and citrus really takes it to another dimension

Serves 4

1 can (13.6 fluid oz.) full fat coconut milk
1 cup water
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 cup long grain basmati rice
2 to 4 tbsp maple syrup, to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp orange zest

Mix the coconut milk, water, orange juice, vanilla extract, salt, and rice in a medium-sized pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cover the pot, but leave the lid very slightly ajar to let steam escape.

Simmer the rice for 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has absorbed. Stir in maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, and zest. Continue cooking till rice is creamy and soft. If necessary, add a little more water or maple syrup.

Serve warm or cool, dusted with extra cinnamon if desired!

Asian flavors · Curry · Gluten Free · Meat · Whole30 compliant

Thai meatball coconut curry

July 28, 2015September 13, 2018 Belinda

What could be better than the comfort of meat balls surrounded by Thai flavors and swimming in coconut broth? Very little, if you ask me. I am sharing this recipe from “Delicious” magazine as there is nothing I would do to tweak it.You can freeze half of this for another time, which is perfect!

(

Serves 4
3 tbsp olive oil
2 red bell peppers, sliced
4 to 5 tbsp Penang curry paste (You can use Thai kitchen Penang curry paste, if available)
2 x 14 oz cans coconut milk (Use sugar-free brands)
1 each large red and green chilli pepper, de-seeded and finely shredded
6 scallions, (spring onions) thinly sliced
2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed and inner leaves finely diced
Juice of 2 limes, plus lime wedges to serve
5 to 6 oz ground almonds
(Steamed rice, optional)

For the meatballs
2lbs ground pork
5 scallions, finely diced
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, inner leaves finely diced
good bunch of cilantro, leaves finely chopped
1 1/2 to 2 inch piece of ginger, grated
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 medium free range, organic egg

In a large bowl mix the ingredients for the meat balls. Season and with wet hands, form into about 40 walnut-sized balls. Put on a large plate and chill for 15 minutes or until needed.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan, add the meatballs in 2 batches and fry for 10 minutes until cooked through and browned. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil, add the peppers and fry for 2 minutes until softened, then add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the coconut milk, chillies,scallions, lemongrass and lime juice. Gently simmer for a few minutes then add the almonds and cook for a few minutes to warm through (add a little water or chicken broth if the curry sauce seems too thick)

Add the meatballs to the curry sauce and heat through. Divide half the curry among 4 serving bowls, sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve with rice and lime wedges.

** Cool the remaining curry and spoon into a freezerproof container. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge, then transfer to a saucepan and heat until the sauce and meatballs are piping hot.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Grains

Thai coconut rice

May 31, 2015February 8, 2016 Belinda

Creamy exotic coconut rice combined with a little bite from red pepper flakes and ginger, creates a delicious dish to accompany a wide range of entrees.

Serves 4

1 cup uncooked basmati rice or 1 cup jasmine rice or 1 cup long grain rice
1 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
sliced toasted almonds (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, except the crystallized ginger and sliced almonds.
Stir well to combine.
Cook over medium high heat, stirring until mixture comes to a low boil.
Immediately reduce heat to low.
Cover and cook for about 18 minutes.
Fluff with a fork, then cover, and let sit for 5 more minutes.
Garnish the finished rice with the candied ginger and the sliced toasted almonds.

Asian flavors · Curry · Gluten Free · Grains · Vegetable sides

Baked curried rice with apples and coconut

May 31, 2015September 13, 2018 Belinda

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Dessert · Gluten Free · Vegan

Banana coconut parcels

May 12, 2015 Belinda

This has got to be one of my favorite desserts and so easy. You can store the banana leaves in your freezer, so you will always have them around.
This recipe is c/o Saveur magazine.

12 fresh or frozen banana leaves
2 1⁄4 cups coconut cream
3⁄4 cup sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
1 1⁄2 cups short-grain sticky rice, soaked for 6 hours, drained, and rinsed
3 firm-ripe bananas, quartered lengthwise

Cut each banana leaf into a roughly 12″x 14″ rectangle, then cut the scraps into 12 thin ribbons for tying; set aside.
Combine the coconut cream, sugar, 1⁄4 cup water, and salt in a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook, stirring, until it begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 7 minutes.
Remove from heat; let the rice absorb liquid, about 20 minutes. Divide the rice into 12 equal portions.

Working with 1 banana leaf at a time, arrange a leaf with a short edge parallel to you, smooth side up.
Put a portion of rice in the center; top with a banana quarter; press gently.
Shape the rice into a rectangle.
Fold the leaf ends over the rice to make a packet. Tie with a ribbon. Repeat to make 12 packets in all.
Pour water into a wide-bottomed pot to a depth of 1″. Set a colander inside pot.
Working in 2 batches, steam the packets until firm, about 15 minutes.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free · Grains

Asian fish parcels with coconut rice

May 5, 2015February 8, 2016 Belinda

This dish is so easy to make and a delight to the senses. The coconut rice really makes a difference and gives an exotic richness to the rice. It’s well worth growing your own Kaffir lime tree either in a pot or in the garden. They are very easy to grow and you have instant Indonesian/Thai flavors at your doorstep.

Serves 4

4 white fish fillets, 5 to 6 oz each, (haddock, halibut, sea bass or cod)
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 red chili, chopped
1 good sized shallot, thinly sliced
1 lime, sliced, plus extra lime halves to serve
2 lemongrass stalks, 1 roughly chopped and 1 bashed
10 1/2oz basmati rice
2 fresh or dried Kaffir lime leaves
2 fl oz coconut milk or even better, coconut cream
salt to taste
dry roasted peanuts, chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Cut 4 pieces of nonstick baking parchment into a 12 inch square
Put a fish fillet in the center of each piece and arrange some of the cilantro, chili, shallot, lime and chopped lemongrass evenly over each.
Wrap them up into neat parcels, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, max.
Put the rice in a lidded pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes or until the rice is soft.
When the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed, stir in the coconut milk.
Serve with the rice alongside the fish parcels with some extra lime halves. If you serve with the parcels open, then sprinkle the fish with some finely chopped dry roasted peanuts.

Asian flavors · Curry · Pasta · Poultry · Soup

15 minute Coconut curry noodle soup

May 2, 2015September 13, 2018 Belinda

Want a bowl of heaven in 15 minutes? This recipe is from a great blog called Woks of Life and has all my favorite ingredients rolled into one bowl of deliciousness.

Makes 2 generous portions

You’ll need:

2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 heaped tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (or 3 tbsp if you like it really spicy)
8 oz. boneless chicken breast or thighs, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tbsp fish sauce
2/3 cup coconut milk
6 oz. dried rice vermicelli noodles (or the fine rice noodles)
A bag of beansprouts (about 10 oz)
1 lime, juiced
Sliced red onion, red chilies, cilantro, scallions to garnish

In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil, garlic, ginger, and Thai red curry paste. Fry for 5 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the chicken and cook for a couple minutes, just until the chicken turns opaque.
Add the chicken broth, water, fish sauce, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. At this point, taste the broth for salt and adjust seasoning accordingly (add salt if needed, or if it’s too salty, add a bit of water).

Put the dried rice vermicelli noodles in each of your large soup bowls, add a large handful of beansprouts, a good amount of roughly chopped cilantro and about 1/4 cup chopped scallions per bowl.
Pour the boiling soup over all this and add a good squeeze of lime juice to each bowl.Let sit for about 4 minutes until the noodles are cooked. Serve

(Alternatively, you can add the noodles to the boiling broth to cook them, and then divide among serving bowls).

Asian flavors · Curry · Gluten Free · Poultry

Asian roast chicken with red curry and coconut gravy

March 4, 2015September 13, 2018 Belinda

Roast chicken is my go-to comfort food if we’ve had a really busy week and have eaten out a lot. The week of the Oscars was like that and I was craving a roast chicken. This is a fabulous alternative to the usual traditional flavors in a roast chicken.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp Thai spice blend or Chinese five-spice powder
½ tsp coarse salt
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime, plus extra 1 lime, halved
3 1/2 lb whole free-range chicken
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
4 thick slices fresh ginger
2 lime leaves (look for Bart Spices dried lime leaves, from major supermarkets)
7 oz carton coconut cream
7 fl oz chicken stock, hot
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Mix together the oil, spice blend, salt and lime zest and juice to make a paste. Rub the mixture evenly onto the chicken skin.
Pop the lime halves into the body cavity, along with the lemongrass, ginger and lime leaves. Sit in a roasting tin and roast for 1½ hours, until the chicken is cooked through.
Tip any juices inside the body cavity into the tin, then lift the chicken onto a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour off the fat, then stir the coconut cream, stock and curry paste into the juices left in the tin, and cook in the oven for a further 5 minutes, until hot.
Carve the chicken and serve with the coconut gravy and some steamed greens, such as pak choi, and rice.

Baking · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains

Gluten free golden flapjacks with mango, dried cherries and coconut

January 17, 2015September 7, 2022 Belinda

I love all things flapjack and there is a limitless number of combinations for them. Being gluten-free they are so popular and this is a winning combination of flavors, kind of taking you to blue water beaches, sunshine and palm trees. Wait, that’s here!! Thank you Sophie Dahl for this recipe

Makes 8 to 12

2 tbsp golden syrup
4 tbsp liquid honey
5 oz salted butter
5 oz porridge oats
4 oz dessicated coconut
3 oz dried sour cherries
3 oz dried mango, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Grease a medium-sized deep baking tray or Swiss roll tin (The depth of the tray will depend on the thickness of the flapjacks.)
In a large saucepan, melt the golden syrup, honey and butter together over a low heat, stirring until well combined.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the oats, coconut, cherries and mango.
Pour the flapjack mixture into the prepared pan and press it down gently into the corners of the tin.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden-brown on top.
Score the flapjacks into pieces while still hot and allow to cool in the tin turning out and cutting completely

Asian flavors · Beverage

Pod Thai. (The worlds best cocktail!)

January 17, 2015February 8, 2016 Belinda

Cardamom-lemongrass syrup lends a bit of Thai spice to a fresh cocktail made with rum and coconut.

FOR THE CARDAMOM-LEMONGRASS SYRUP
½ cup sugar
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and thinly sliced

FOR THE COCKTAIL
3 sprigs Thai basil
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1½ oz. light rum
1 oz. cardamom-lemongrass syrup
½ oz. crème de coconut
Club soda, for topping

Make the cardamom-lemongrass syrup: Boil sugar and ½ cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add cardamom and lemongrass; let cool and then strain. Makes 1 cup. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.

Muddle 2 basil sprigs with lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add rum, crème de coconut, syrup, and ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass mug; top with soda and garnish with remaining basil sprig.
Enjoy!!