Today I am going back the memory lane. Same time last year I was
spending a year in the Dominican Republic under the Coconut palm trees.
I met
wonderful people who inspired me a lot. The tropical scenery was breathtaking.
I could not put my camera down. Another thing I could not put down was coconuts.
I love coconut milk, cream, flesh, bowls made with the rind, even body wash
with a hint of coconut smell.
Pictures I took during my stay on the island. Notice the beautiful colors and hues. |
During my stay on the Island I hired a very sweet lady called Louisa to
help me with the house shores. She also helped me practise my Spanish and
taught me some of the local dishes. One day she invited us to her house and
cooked amazing dishes using coconuts. She prepared Chicken with coconut sauce
and green peppers, Gandule beans (which I learned later is pigeon peas) with coconut and pumpkin and last but
not least the famous Caribbean coconut rice. I wanted to learn how to make this
super tasty rice and so I asked Louisa to teach me.
Gandule or Pigeon Peas (As a plant as well as bought fresh in the markets) |
Next week we prepared the famous Caribbean rice together and Louisa taught me the island way of cooking. Louisa first showed me how she cracks
open a coconut with a big knife (machete). She chose a mature coconut (like the
ones you find in the grocery stores (with hard brown shells). I was impressed
how she handled the knife in the air breaking pieces of the shell with every
stroke in an amazing dexterity. When the brown shell was broken it was easy
to remove the white flesh. She then broke the flesh into smaller pieces and put
them in a mixer with some warm water. After mixing for about 5 minutes we had
beautiful milky white coconut milk. Fresh and so so good. No need to buy cans
when you can prepare it yourself. Right?
Louisa making the coconut milk and straining it through a sieve. |
We had a feast that day with lots of Caribbean
dishes and I was happy to share them with Louisa and her daughter Daniela.
Louisa & Daniela sharing a caribbean gourmet meal with us in Las Terrenas/DR |
Lola having a bite of shrimp and coconut rice |
Coconut rice
1 brown
shelled Coconut (0r 2 cans of good quality coconut milk)
Warm water
¼ tsp raw
sugar
Salt to
taste
½ tbs
coconut or canola oil
2 cups Long
grain rice or jasmine rice
Remove the flesh from the shell of a mature coconut with a hammer. Be
careful not to hurt yourself.
Cut the flesh in smaller pieces. Put the coconut flesh in the blender
and add warm water. Mix till the coconut pieces become very fine and the water
becomes a shade of white (see picture). Then in a fine sieve remove the coconut
pieces and reserve the coconut milk. You can reuse the mashed coconut pieces
and make more coconut milk by adding warm water to your mixer. I was able to
make about 3 liters of coconut milk with just one coconut. You can drink the
coconut milk with your shakes or with tea or use it in other dishes. Do not
discard the coconut flesh. Use it in dessert recipes. It can be towelled dried and
frozen till used.
Now let’s make some coconut rice. Wash you rice well and reserve. Put
the coconut or canola oil in a pot and let it sizzle for 30 sec then add your
coconut milk and the sugar. You can add some of the mashed coconut pieces for
added coconut flavor. I love adding the flesh. Then Let the coconut milk reduce
to the third. You will notice that the coconut milk will become golden brown
and will caramelize a bit. This is when you add your rinsed rice. Mix well and
add the salt and 2 cups of coconut milk. It should just about cover the rice.
So 2 cups or rice for two cups of coconut milk. Let it cook on medium high heat
uncovered till you can’t see the liquid anymore. So the rice will have absorbed
half the quality. Then lower the fire and let it cook with lid on for about
15-20 minutes. At this point taste your rice. It should be chewy and just about
done. Remove from the heat and let it rest another 5 minutes. Then with a large
rice spoon or a large fork fluff the rice a bit and serve. Enjoy.
Coconut rice with shrimps and pineapple
·
Shrimps (peeled and deveined; leave tail on for
garnish)
·
Salt and pepper
·
1 Pineapple
·
1 medium Spanish onion
·
2 green scallions (sliced in fine rounds) for
garnish
·
1 large beef tomatoes (or any fleshy tomatoes) skinned,
seeded and chopped)
·
Mild or spicy peppers (such as Jalapeños) - Optional
·
Cooled Coconut Rice (see above recipe)
Sauté the shrimps in a bit of oil
till light pink and cooked. Season with salt & pepper and reserve.
Cut the top of the pineapple and reserve it for decoration. Cut the
outside of the pineapple, removing all the hard part and the core that is inedible.
Cut the flesh in bites size cubes and reserve.
Mince the onion and sauté till tender and slightly caramelized. Add
the chopped pepper and cook for 1 minute. Then add the coconut rice and mix
well. Remove from the stove and put the coconut rice mix in a large bowl. Let
the rice cool a bit then add chopped scallions, the tomatoes, the pineapple
cubes and the shrimp and fluff everything. Serve in a big plate garnished with
the head of the pineapple. Enjoy!
Your pictures are to die for !!!! I want to eat this right now, and its 9am
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your nice comment. We eat with our eyes first as they say. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
DeleteIndeed amazing shots, makes me want to be there, love it
ReplyDeleteThank you Cynthia.
DeleteHappy feasting...I love me a bowl of coconut rice.
Delete