Thai Spiced Coconut Recipes

THAI COCONUT CURRY

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Add the ginger, turmeric, curry paste and sugar and stir until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat and cook 10 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime zest and juice. Cover to keep warm.
• Prepare the shrimp: Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-heat. Add the carrots and stir to coat with the oil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the carrots 5 minutes, until tender.
• Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the red bell pepper, shrimp, garlic, cayenne and salt to taste. Cook until the shrimp are no longer pink, 2-3 minutes per side.
• Add the spinach and curry sauce to the shrimp and stir until the spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro (or basil) and serve.

SPICY THAI COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Toss chicken with cornstarch. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat; saute chicken until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pot., In same pan, saute onion, jalapeno and garlic in remaining oil over medium-high heat until onion is tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in seasonings, chili sauce, coconut milk and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 20 minutes., Stir in cabbage, snow peas and chicken; cook, uncovered, just until cabbage is crisp-tender and chicken is cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Serve with green onions and lime wedges.

THE BEST THAI COCONUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute. Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp; cook until no longer translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice; season with salt; garnish with cilantro.

THAI COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• 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.
• The cover, and let sit for 5 more minutes.
• Garnish the finished rice with the candied ginger and the sliced almonds.

THAI COCONUT-SPICE BLEND

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, put the lime zest on a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring with a fork in between, until the zest is dry and almost brittle, 2 to 4 minutes total. (The timing will largely depend on the power of your microwave.)
• Add the cooled coconut, dried lime zest, chili flakes, coriander, garlic, and salt to a spice grinder and grind to the texture of very coarse cornmeal. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.