For all you veggies out there who switched off when you saw the word chicken in the last post, I just want to tell you that I made the curry with potatoes and it was delicious. So delicious in fact, that we ate the lot in one sitting – enough for at least 4 people –  and could hardly move afterwards. The only thing I changed was to add a little water with the potatoes so they had something to cook in.

I also discovered half way through making it that I had no coconut milk and as my neighbour Chris wasn’t answering his phone, I did a quick Google search and found how to make it myself with desiccated coconut – which fortunately I did have. Super easy with excellent results.

Heres how to do it:

Homemade Coconut Milk

125 gr unsweetened dessicated coconut

1 3/4 cups water

Method

• Put the coconut in a pot with the water and leave it to soak for about 1/2 hour
• After half an hour turn on the heat and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 10 mins
• Turn the heat off and let it sit on the stove for another 20 mins or so.
• Transfer to a blender and process.
• Take a fine sieve and put it over a bowl and pour the blended coconut mixture into it. Allow it to cool so you can handle it, then press and squeeze, resqueeze and whatever else to get all the liquid out of it. You will get a good cup of thick creamy milk which you can use right away or store in the fridge for a couple of days.

Yes, it’s a bit messy to make but what you get is pure and natural and free of any additives or preservatives – and no more half empty cans sitting in your fridge. Once you discover how easy and absolutely delicious this is you will never look back.

 

Now, if you happen to be one of those lucky people with coconut palms nearby, then it’s an even easier process. You simply take a big chunk of fresh coconut, put it the blender with a cup of water and whizz it and squeeze all that sweet milk out as above.

 

I’ve also been googling  curry leaves after a question following the previous post. There is a plant known as a curry plant because the smell it gives is so like curry but it’s something different altogether. Indian curry leaves look a bit like small fresh bay leaves as you can see here.The pale leaved so called curry plant is actually Helichrysum Angustifolium of the  Composita family whereas the one you want for  is Murraya Koenigii, of the Rutaceae family. Well of course, I hear you say. Why didn’t you just say that in the first place!

 

P.S If you aren’t much into cooking, you can still make that coconut milk and just use it in your pina coladas….mmmm.