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.

6. To serve, place 1 piece of puff pastry in the middle of each serving plate, spoon some cream over the pastry, and then top with some puree. Place another pastry on top, garnish with some of the remaining berries, any leftover juice from the puree, and a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar.

Tropical Fruit with Ginger Creeme Anglaise (1-inch) pieces peeled gingerroot, slightly mashed 1 cup half-and-half 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons sugar A variety of tropical fruits, sliced 1. In a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the ginger and the half-and-half to a slight simmer. Do not boil.

2. In the meantime, whisk together the eggs yolks and the sugar.

3. Slowly pour the hot half-and-half into the egg mixture, stirring constantly so that the eggs do not cook.

4. Pour the custard back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

5. Pour the cremes anglaise through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature.

6. Pour over slices of your favorite tropical fruits.

[image]Freezing Ginger Ginger freezes fantastically. However, you may want to peel it, cut it into 1-inch pieces, and then wrap it tightly before doing so.

Yields 1 cups Here I've taken a standard creme anglaiseand infused it with fresh ginger, giving the sauce a slightly piquant flavor. This sauce is equally tasty over gingerbread or sponge cake.

Fresh Oranges in Rose Water 8 oranges 3 cups water 1 cups sugar 46 teaspoons rose water 1. Peel and segment the oranges. Place them in a bowl, cover, and set aside in the refrigerator.

2. In a saucepan, bring the water and the sugar to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Boil gently for 15 to 20 or until the mixture becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.

3. To serve, place orange segments in individual dessert cups. Pour rose water syrup over the top.

[image]Rose Water Rose water is a subtle flavoring agent made from distilling the oil of rose petals. The oil is then infused into water. It can be found in specialty food shops.

Serves 68 This is one of the most refreshing desserts I know. The perfumy syrup can be made ahead and used to top almost any combination of citrus fruits, but don't be locked into just oranges.

Banana Coconut Soup 4 cups canned coconut milk 4 cups banana slices, plus extra for garnish 2 tablespoons minced gingerroot 1 cinnamon stick 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt to taste (see "Toasted Coconut" on page 16) 1. 1. In a large saucepan, bring the coconut milk to a boil. Add the banana, ginger, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the banana is very soft.

2. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool slightly.

3. Using a handheld blender (or a blender or food processor), puree the soup until smooth.

4. Serve the soup in preheated bowls, garnished with banana slices and coconut.

[image]Thai Dessert Origins Many of the desserts in this chapter are not of pure Thai origin. Some are derived from traditional Portuguese recipes since they were the first Westerners to reach the area. Soon after, eggs became an important ingredient in Thai desserts along with flour, sugar, fruit, and coconut ingredients which were already used extensively.

Serves 68 This is such an incredibly soothing soup. It reminds me of eating warm pudding, only it's a lot better!

Lemongra.s.s Custard 2 stalks fresh lemongra.s.s, finely chopped (tender inner portion only) 2 cups whole milk 6 egg yolks cup suga 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring the milk and the lemongra.s.s to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover the milk mixture, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes on the burner.

3. 3. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick.

4. Strain the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, then slowly pour it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.

5. Divide the mixture between 6 small custard cups and place the cups in a high-sided baking or roasting pan. Add warm water to the pan so that it reaches to approximately 1 inch below the top of the custard cups. Cover the pan tightly with foil.

6. Place the pan in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the custards are set on the sides but still slightly wobbly in the center.

Serves 6 This is a standard custard that has simply been infused with lemongra.s.s and it is nothing short of divine. It can be served warm or chilled.

Coconut Custard 1 (16-ounce) can coconut cream [image]cup fine granulated sugar 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter Fresh tropical fruit (optional) 1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the coconut cream and the sugar.

2. Over medium heat, cook and stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the b.u.t.ter. Stir until the b.u.t.ter is completely melted and incorporated.

5. Pour the custard into six 4-ounce custard cups. Place the cups in a baking pan. Pour boiling water into the baking pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the custard cups.

6. Carefully transfer the baking pan to a preheated 325-degree oven. Bake the custards for 30 to 40 minutes until set. (The tip of a knife should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the custard.) 7. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with chopped tropical fruit, if desired.

Serves 6 This coconut custard uses coconut milk in place of whole milk. Melted b.u.t.ter brings the fat content up to where it needs to be in order for the custards to set.

Steamed Coconut Cakes 5 eggs 4 tablespoons finely granulated sugar cup rice flour cup all-purpose flour Pinch of salt cup coconut milk cup grated sweet coconut 1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar together until thick and pale in color.

2. Add the rice flours and salt.

3. Beating constantly, slowly pour in the coconut milk. Beat the batter for 3 more minutes.