Thai Bananas in Coconut Milk

 I love this Thai dessert. I have made it several times but it never made it to my blog! I would say most people would like it cause it is so soft and delicate. Amazingly I had all the ingredients at home, so I thought: it's the day.

INGREDIENTS:
-1 Can of coconut milk (400 ml).

-4 large bananas.

-2 tablespoons of super fine sugar (caster sugar).

-a pinch of salt.

-the juice of half an orange.

-about 6 or 7 leaves of mint chopped up.

-4 tablespoons of toasted nuts.

STEPS:

1. Slice up the bananas and place in a pot with coconut milk, sugar and the salt.

2. For 5 minutes heat up, stirring gently until it boils. Quickly remove from heat (or the bananas will get way too soggy).

3. Now add the orange juice and the mint leaves chopped up.

4. Decorate with the toasted nuts, that you have previously toasted for 3 minutes.

That's it. Very good and you can serve it cold or hot. It's a great natural dessert. I love the way Thai desserts are so natural.

            

Caribbean Fish in Coconut Sauce

 So this recipe comes no more or less than from the cans of coconut of Goya Coconut milk. So everytime I bought a can I would see it and say to myself: I gotta do this one day. But the other day I did and I can see why they advertise it, cause it is so delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
-6 fillets of cod, sole or grouper.
-2 cans of coconut milk.

-1 lime.

-5 cloves of garlic finely chopped. 

-1/2 white onion.

-1 stick of celery.

-3 tablespoons of tomate frito,tomato sauce.

-2 chicken stock cubes.

-2 bay leaves.

-1 red tomato cut up in thin slices.

STEPS:

1. First of all, squeeze half a lime on the fish all over them and let them sink in the juice for a little while you prepare the sauce.

2. In hot oil, sautee the celery, the onion and the garlic until it golden and soft for 10 minutes.

3. Now add the tomato sauce and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Now add the coconut milk, the 2 chicken stock and the bay leaves and let it come to a boil and then simmer for 10 until the sauce reduces a bit.

5. Now add the tomato sliced and then add the fish and let it cook for about 5 minutes until is all cooked.

6. Now let it all cook for another 5 minutes and that's it. Decorate with some dry green leaves like basil or coriander and that's it, serve with rice.

So good, a great combo this tomato sauce and coconut sauce and fish. You won't regret it.

How to make Coconut Milk--Jamaican way

 I was seriously surprised today when I realized I could make coconut milk with this Jamaican recipe. Oh yeah!  

This is one satisfying recipe you all. Trust me. And as you all know I am anti clutter in the kitchen and I don't even have a food processor but will go to the ends of the world with my hand mixer or batidora in Spanish.

Well, really, that is all you need to make coconut milk, apart from the coconut, that is and some water. Here it is.

INGREDIENTS:
-1 coconut.
-4 cups of water.

STEPS:
1. Break the coconut after you have drank the juice. I always break mine on the stone step of my house. Give it a good whack against a rock and it should crack.

2. Now break it more with a hammer. I use a blanket to absorb the impact and not break my kitchen table.

3. Lift the coconut up with a knife from the tough shell. It is not the easiest but not the hardest.

4. Now cut up coconut with a sharp knife in small pieces.

5. Place in plate and soften it up in microwave for 2 minutes.

6. Now in 2 batches, get your hand mixer and add 2 cups of water and half of the coconut cut in pieces and blend. Do the same with the second batch. 

7. Now strain the coconut with a metal strainer. I find this the easiest way, do it little by little. 

8. Now you will have a ton of coconut pulp (see my recipe for coconut pulp), so put it on a clean cloth and strain even more with a bowl underneath. 

9. Now put milk in jason mar and stick in fridge, it will start to solidify like it does in the cans on the top. It is amazing. 

Amazing! Often the best recipes come from rural places like this recipe from Jamaica. 

Thank you so much!