Ahead of the World Coconut Day, Indulge gets you four yummy coconut-based dishes from experts around the city. These are easy to make and home, delicious, cover a range of culinary palates and of course, makes you a reason to bring a smile to your family’s face.
Chicken Tom Kha Coconut Soup
Shared by Anand Puri, partner, Trincas, one of the iconic restaurants on Park Street, this starter is easy to make and will be devoured in no time.
Ingredients:
· Boneless and skinless chicken 50 gm
· Chicken broth or stock, unsalted 250 ml
· Coconut milk 50 gm
· Lemongrass 25 gm
· Galangal 25 gm
· Kaffir lime leaves 2 pcs
· Thai red chilies 2 pcs
· Button mushroom 30 gm
· Fish sauce 20 gm
· Sugar 10 gm
· Garlic 5 gm
· Aromat 10 gm
· Carrot 10 gm
· Onion 10 gm
· Cabbage 10 gm
Method:
· Bring chicken stock and salt to a boil, add the chicken
· Simmer the chicken for 15 minutes or until tender
· Add coconut milk
· Add the herbs and simmer for another 5 minutes
· Add the fish sauce and sugar and bring back to a boil
· Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute or so
· Turn off the heat, add Thai red chilli, and it's ready to be served with chilli oil garnish!
Daab Ilish
If you love your fish, especially the Ilish, then this recipe is a must-try. Shared by Lopamudra Kamilya, founder and director, Ilish Truly Bong, now make your own tasty ilish at home.
Ingredients:
· Ilish / hilsa 1 ring piece, 100 gm
· Salt
· Ghee
· Cashew Nuts
· Raisins
· Green coconut with water and pulp - 1
· White Pepper
· Coconut milk
· Poppy seed paste
Method:
· Rub Ilish with salt and white pepper
· Take ghee in a pan and fry ilish on medium flame.
· Take the pan, put ghee, fry cashew and raisins and poppy-seed paste and saute it well.
· Make a smooth paste of the pulp of the green coconut. Add this to the pan and fry well. Add the fried fish, coconut milk and green coconut water and cover it. Boil it for some time.
· Transfer the whole item with the fish inside the green coconut. Seal the mouth with silver foil. Put it in the hot oven for about 15 minutes.
Monsoon Special Golden Cuṟry
This coconut-milk-based vegetable curry is simple to make and can be eaten with rice as a quiet homely meal. The recipe is shared by Pallavi Khaitan who runs Fork and Knife, a gourmet home kitchen.
Ingredients:
· 1 white onion, diced
· 5 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 cup chopped carrots
· 1 small zucchini, sliced
· 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
· 1 tbsp curry powder
· 1 tsp turmeric
· 2 tsp sea salt
· 2 tbsp tomato paste
· 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
· 1 can light coconut milk
· 1 tbsp coconut sugar or other natural sweetener of choice
· 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
· 1 packaged firm tofu, cubed
· 1 cup chopped cilantro
· Chilli oil
· Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
Method:
· In a Pan, saute some onion, garlic and chillies. Add in vegetables of your choice and saute well.
· Add Salt, Pepper, Turmeric powder and Curry powder and mix.
· Add the Vegetable Stock, Tomato Paste and Peanut Butter and mix.
· Add in Coconut milk and some Coconut Sugar for sweetening.
· Lastly add Tofu.
· Garnish with chopped Cilantro and some Chilli oil when ready.
Goan Prawn Curry
Those who love spicy food cannot say no to a good prawn curry. Now make it at home by following this recipe by Chef Suman Dewan from Ambrosia Restaurant & Bar; and serve it hot with steamed rice.
Ingredients:
· Cleaned prawns
· Kashmiri chilli – 1 tsp
· Whole coriander -1 tsp
· Fresh coconut grated
· Coconut water – 100 ml
· Ginger - 1 tsp
· Garlic - 1 tsp
· Whole jeera- 1 tsp
· Whole Black Pepper- 1 tsp
· Curry leaves
· Coconut milk
· Oil – 1 tsp
· Lemon
· Salt to taste
Method:
· Take freshly grated coconut and add coconut water, Kashmiri chilli, whole coriander , whole jeera , whole black pepper, garlic , ginger, cold water to make a paste
· Take a pan and put oil.
· Now put the paste in a pan shallow fry and add water, cook for 2 mins
· After the gravy is ready add prawns.
· Add coconut milk, lemon and salt to taste and cook for 2mins.
· Plate the curry with the prawns and Garnish with curry leaves.