Part 17 (1/2)

Lemongra.s.s Custard

Coconut Custard

Steamed Coconut Cakes

Coconut-Pineapple Souffle for 2

Mango Fool

Citrus Fool

Pineapple-Mango Sherbet

Mango Sauce over Ice Cream

Pumpkin Custard

Watermelon Ice

Taro b.a.l.l.s Poached in Coconut Milk

Bananas Poached in Coconut Milk

Tofu with Sweet Ginger

Pumpkin Simmered in Coconut Milk

Sweet Sticky Rice 1 cups white glutinous rice 1[image] cups canned coconut milk cups canned coconut milk cup granulated sugar teaspoon salt 1. Place the rice in a bowl and add enough water to completely cover the rice. Soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain.

2. Line a steamer basket with wet cheesecloth. Spread the rice evenly over the cheesecloth. Place the container over rapidly boiling water. Cover and steam until tender, about 25 minutes; set aside.

3. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the coconut milk, sugar, and salt and heat on medium-high. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over the rice, stir to combine, and let rest for 30 minutes.

4. To serve, place in small bowls or on plates. Garnish with mangoes, papayas, or other tropical fruit.

Serves 6 There is not much to this dessert, but it's delicious. I love the somewhat gelatinous quality this rice takes on. The rice is intended to be eaten alongside fresh fruits, but I think it's pretty tasty all by itself.

Tropical Coconut Rice 2 cups short-grained rice 2 cups water 1 cup coconut cream cup toasted coconut (see ”Toasted Coconut” on page 16) 1. Put the rice, water, and coconut cream in a medium-sized saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

2. Let the rice rest off the heat for 5 minutes.

3. Fluff the rice and stir in the toasted coconut and fruit.

Serves 68 Coconut and rice are the most typical ingredients found in Thai desserts. This one calls for coconut, not only coconut in a semiliquid form but also toasted.

Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream Sauce 1 cup coconut cream 4 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 4 ripe mangoes, thinly sliced (or other tropical fruits) 3 cups cooked Sweet Sticky Rice (see recipe on page 184) 1. For the sauce, place the coconut cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. To serve, arrange mango slices on each plate. Place a mound of rice next to the fruit. Top the rice with some of the sauce.

[image]Peeling, Pitting, and Slicing a Mango Cut the skin off the mango lengthwise on both sides and peel back the skin. Cut the flesh off the mango pit in long vertical strips. Slice or dice as desired.

Serves 6 Here the coconut is not cooked into the sticky rice, but makes its way into the sauce. Tropical fruit is served alongside.

Pineapple Rice 1 ripe pineapple cup sugar Pinch of salt cup short-grained rice Zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons chopped crystallized ginger, divided 3 tablespoons roasted cashew nuts, chopped 1. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise, leaving the leaves intact on 1 side. Scoop out the pineapple flesh of both halves, leaving a -inch edge on the half with the leaves. Dice the pineapple fruit from 1 half and puree the fruit from the other half in a food processor along with the sugar and salt; set aside.

2. Strain the fruit puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1 cups. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

3. Rinse and drain the rice. Stir the rice into the pineapple puree. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of the ginger. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

4. Mix the reserved pineapple cubes into the rice.

5. To serve, spoon the rice into the hollowed out pineapple that has the leaves. Garnish with the remaining ginger and the roasted cashews.

[image]Crystallized Ginger Crystallized ginger is small ginger pieces, usually about -inch dice, that has been simmered in syrup and then dried. The result is a slightly chewy, spicy-sweet candylike condiment. It can be found in specialty grocery stores.

Serves 46 As you have probably noticed, rice is used in every Thai meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Crispy Crepes with Fresh Fruit 1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package instructions 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, divided 2 cups raspberries, blueberries, or other fresh fruit, the best 12 berries reserved for garnish 1 cup heavy cream cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 tablespoon unflavored rum or coconut-flavored rum 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place the puff pastry sheet on a work surface and cut into 12 equalsized pieces. Place the pastry pieces on a baking sheet.

3. Bake the pastry approximately 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a sifter to shake a bit of the confectioner?s sugar over the puff pastry. Return to the oven and continue baking for approximately 5 minutes or until golden. Place the puff pastry on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

4. Place the berries in a food processor and briefly process to form a rough puree.

5. Whip the cream with the remaining confectioner?s sugar until thick, but not stiff. Stir in the coconut and the rum.