Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

[Karen]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

I don't use it at all. Well, we cut down our coconut tree that was forty feet, perhaps and a huge safety concern. I did drink fresh coconut milk a couple of times. I don't miss the tree or its fruit. I also don't like the stuff in my chcolate, lol.

[cynsaligia]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

whenever eric visits his grandma in palau, he puts on weight because of food like coconut crabs in coconut milk. of course, anyone who's eaten a coconut crab knows the meat is sooo sweet & ono (they eat coconuts) but you must be careful how you grab a coconut crab. they're huge and can snip your fingers in half.


presumably, one should be able to concoct a non-coconut crab, crab + coconut milk recipe.

there's also my childhood favorite, ginataan. here's a recipe. just ignore the part where they say "saba banana" (if i am not mistaken, saba = banana in ilocano anyway. ps, it's saba w/stress on second syllable, not first. saba w/stress on first syllable = japanese mackerel.) and pick up some apple bananas. in my opinion, your run of the mill chiquitas won't be good enough. and you can use purple okinawan sweet potatoes. sometimes my mom put corn in it, which i don't care for. strangely enough, my mom's very haole care home residents in portland LOVE this dish, esp on cold winter days.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Thanx Cynsaligia, for posting that recipe, and bumping this thread.
I hadn't seen Pomai's question, and no, I havn't gotten to these recipes yet. Fitting new meals into my 'enchiladas every nite' regime is a struggle I'm losing..., along with my "I'm gonna keep this fit & trim again, look" New Year's resolution.

But, the belly be damned, I'll get another case of coconut milk, fire up the pit, and try out some of these winners, asap.

Now, if we could just summon up that old Tahitian Lanai recipe for Coconut Shrimp!

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Now, if we could just summon up that old Tahitian Lanai recipe for Coconut Shrimp!

From what Tutusue described about it, it just might be the same or similar in preparation and ingredients to the Tahitian Lanai's Moa Ta Haari Chicken recipe I copy>pasted here earlier today, except instead of chicken, use shrimp (obviously). Actually, Hollandaise sauce on shrimp sounds intresting as well. Has all the right components: butter, lemon, eggs (mayo).

Tutu, what ya' think?

[Kaukura]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

You can find some tahitian recipes here..

http://www.tahiti1.com/en/indentity/cooking.htm

ps. in Tahiti, there are 2 versions of poisson cru, only one is made with the coconut milk.

One is poisson crue a la tahitienne, which is made with coconut milk
the other is poisson crue a la chinoise, which is a vinaigrette based version. maybe I mixed the two up and it's the reverse.

[tutusue]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

[...]Tutu, what ya' think?

Funny you should ask! While reading the recipe I was thinking that was possibly the same dish but with chicken...til I got to the Hollandaise sauce! Whassup with that? That doesn't even faintly ring a bell. Still, TL was known for their Eggs Benedict and it now makes perfect sense that they might've incorporate left over sauce into lunch and dinner entrees! At least I think it makes sense!

Nah...I really don't understand the Hollandaise sauce part!

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Funny you should ask! While reading the recipe I was thinking that was possibly the same dish but with chicken...til I got to the Hollandaise sauce! Whassup with that? That doesn't even faintly ring a bell. Still, TL was known for their Eggs Benedict and it now makes perfect sense that they might've incorporate left over sauce into lunch and dinner entrees! At least I think it makes sense!

Nah...I really don't understand the Hollandaise sauce part!

Ok, well, how about that recipe, SANS the Hollandaise? Perhaps just a simple garnish of Cilantro, mint, or Thai basil. Does that sound about right?

[tutusue]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Ok, well, how about that recipe, SANS the Hollandaise? Perhaps just a simple garnish of Cilantro, mint, or Thai basil. Does that sound about right?

Seriously, when I read the recipe you posted above I thought it to be the same dish but with chicken. If not the same, then similar. Sure wish the Waikikian and Tahitian Lanai had been declared a historical landmark! I'd run over there right now and ask!

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Sure wish the Waikikian and Tahitian Lanai had been declared a historical landmark! I'd run over there right now and ask!

OK, since we're in nostalgia mode, here's some archival photos* of the Tahitian Lanai...


You can't see her (she's hiding in the corner), but Tutusue is in that thatched hut eating a plate of their famous Coconut shrimp. lol

Tahitian Lanai's main dining room?..



Tahitian Lanai's pool-side area...



The Tahitian Lanai was opened in 1956 by Spence Weaver (Spencecliff restaurants) in the Waikikian Hotel (which is no more), next door to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The restaurant was decorated with materials he brought back from Tahiti, where he fell in love with a Tahitian dancer at his hotel.

Good man!

*Source

[tutusue]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

[...]
The Tahitian Lanai was opened in 1956 by Spence Weaver (Spencecliff restaurants) in the Waikikian Hotel (which is no more), next door to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The restaurant was decorated with materials he brought back from Tahiti, where he fell in love with a Tahitian dancer at his hotel.[...]
*Source

All those little, thatched dining hales...weren't they wonderful?! OMG, tacky-chic magnifique! <sniff> The monstrosity being built on that property as I type is heartbreaking. It's only redemption, so far, is that it will have an outdoor cafe on the ground floor looking makai. Guess that makes it approx. where the old TL used to be. Still...

And, Bob Sigall's books (HT's Creative-1)...the best! Whatta history!

I'm now so into nostalgia mode. <sniff><sniff>

[LikaNui]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Remember the entrance and hostess station, on the alley between Tahitian Lanai and the Ilikai? Remember walking the path between the Waikikians two two-story buildings, looking at the thatched roofs and the marvelous tropical landscaping? Loved eating in the thatched huts, but you didn't get much breeze in them so we usually ate by the pool. Kinda weird when people were swimming just a few feet away, especially the ones who shouldn't have been wearing swimsuits in public.
And no mention of TL is ever complete with remembering the Friday night singalongs.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Great pix, Pomai!
If this thread wasn't awesome already with the boat-load of interesting recipes, these vintage TH shots perfectly cap off a fine day.
Thanx!

[kani-lehua]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

spicy that beef curry

adapted from fine cooking annual volume 2 and cheri swoboda
it's VERY SPICY with 1T of thai red curry paste

1T veg. oil (optional)
app. 1 lb. sirloin cut into cubes or strips
salt and ground pepper
1/2C thinly sliced shallots (i used onions)
1/3C peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (i grated mine)
1T thai red curry paste
1/2C canned low-sodium chicken broth (divided)
1 can unsweetened reduced-fat coconut milk (divided)
1T fish sauce
1 1/2 C frozen peas (i did carrots, potatoes and eggplant no beef)
1/3C fresh cilantro
1 large lime, zest finely grated and fruit cut into wedges (divided)

heat oil on medium-high heat. season beef with salt and pepper and sear meat until nicely browned on both sides. app. 2 min per side. transfer to a plate.

reduce heat to medium. add shallots and cook until tender and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

add ginger and cook, stirring until fragrant. app. 1 minute. add curry pasted and cook, stirring about 30 seconds. stir in 1/4C of the broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. add 1/3C coconut milk, stirring until curry pasted has blended in completely.

stir in remaining coconut milk and broth. add fish sauce. increase heat to medium-high. ruturn beef to pan, stir and simmer until the meat is just cooked through. app. 8-12 minutes.

remove from heat. stir peas into sauce and cover pan. add lime zest. if necessary, return pan to medium heat until peas are thawed and heated through.

serve with rice, sprinkled with cilantro (i added mine into the pot at the end). serve with lime wedges on the side.

[Ron Whitfield]

Tutusue...

There is a recipe in today's StarBulletin for coconut milk marinated shrimp that you might find at least similar to the TL's. It does include a coating of shredded coconut, but could probably be eliminated if desired.

If you miss it and would like it, I'll post it.

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

You probably know this already, but in case there are people out there who don't: Coconut milk is not the liquid contained in a coconut. That's coconut water or coconut juice. Coconut milk is usually (I say usually because I'm not totally sure of the varieties) milk that's cooked with coconut flesh in it and then strained.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/...water-2476008/

Will coconut milk or water become a popular drink?