Lime & Coconut Thai Curry & Coconut Bread

Coconuts remind me of my childhood in Malawi. I remember drinking coconut milk through a hole in the top of the large husk and then splitting it open, spooning out the white flesh!

I have some gorgeous recipes to delight you with, so I will start with a favourite of mine, quick and easy and perfect for impressing your guests at a dinner party!

Lime &  Coconut Thai Curry

This recipe serves 2, but you can double or triple the quantity as you please.

400g Chicken breasts (cut into bite size chunks)
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 tin Coconut cream
4-5 Spring onions (cut into shreds)
20-30 g fresh coriander
1 green chilli (deseeded and chopped)
3/4 Tbls Nam Pla  fish sauce
1 dessert spoon groundnut oil

1. In a large bowl add the chicken peices and the zest and juice of the limes, stir well and leave to marinade for at least an hour.

2. Drain the chicken in a seive, and reserve the marinade. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the chicken and stir fry until golden.

3. Add the green chilli, stir fry for another minute and then add the lime marinade, fish sauce, coconut cream and half the coriander and and spring onions.

4. Cook for a further couple of minutes. Just before serving sprinkle with the remaining coriander and spring onions. Serve with Rice.


JB's  Coconut Bread

This is a gorgeous, easy bread that a friend makes. JB lives in Melborne and he was over last week, and came  for dinner and we talked recipes, and he gave me this. thanks JB!

                                               
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 Cup Self Raising Flour
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Milk
Smattering of Rock Salt

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Add the milk and mix until it has all combined
3. Pour into a loaf tin ( I used a 24 cm- a smaller one would do just fine) sprinkle with rock salt
4. Into a pre heated oven at 180 c for 45 min

Best eaten hot straight out of the oven,  with lashings of  butter,  for morning or afternoon tea.

Enjoy!

Till next time

Ashia

Spice up those dull winter evenings (In the Southern Hemisphere!)

Bhurtho (Aubergine Curry) and Roti

To me the cold, dark evenings in winter  mean comfort food. And I love pies and soups, but my comfort food is home cooked Indian food. It is my soul food, its what I was bought up with.  I have travelled all over the world, having lived in Africa and then England and travelling all over Europe and America and then settling here in beautiful New Zealand. I always find that when I am away from home,  I love experiencing all the exotic and different flavours, but really miss my home made curries and it is probably one of the first things I make when I get back from being away.

Bhurtho is one of those gorgeous dishes and is one of my favourites. Funnily enough I refused to eat this as a child, and I remember having countless arguments with my mum about why I wasn't going to eat my dinner when she served this up on my plate!

Bhurtho
1 large Aubergine                                                 
I onion (sliced
2-3 Tbl Oil                                                                       
1 Tsp Garlic
1/4 Tsp Turmeric
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Paprika (optional)
1/4 Tsp Chilli powder
3/4 Tin of chopped tomatoes or Tomato Passatta (not Italian flavoured)

1. With a fork prick several holes all over the aubergine and place under a pre heated grill for 20-30 min, turning a couple of times. You will know it is cooked when it goes all soft and looses the firmness.  It needs to be "mushy" when you slit it open.

2. While the aubergine is cooking, in a medium saucepan heat the oil and add the sliced onions.  cook until pale and soft

3. Add the tinned tomato and all the spices and cook over a low heat for about 10-15 min.

4. Meanwhile when the aubergine is cooked, (it will be very soft - this is desirable) slit it open, hold on to it by its stalk and roughly mash it with a fork .  Remove the skin and stalk after mashing.

5. Add the mashed aubergine to the tomato mixture and cook on a low heat for a further 5-7 min.

Serve with hot Rotis.    (recipe for roti to follow - you can buy some pretty good roti/chappati from the supermarkets, although I love making my own, its an art that takes years of practise but I will put a step by step guide for any easy to follow recipe.

                                     
Enjoy!

Till next time

Ashia