Pina Colada Ice Cream

Ingredients
200ml Double Cream (whipped)
200ml Cream Of Coconut
4 Tablespoons Caster Sugar
1 Tablespoon Coconut Liqueur
1x400g Can Pineapple or Same Weight Fresh (drained and chopped)

Equipment
1 Large Bowl
1 Blender
1 Balloon Whisk
2 Large Bowls
1 Airtigt Freezer Container

The Good Bit

1. Start by blending your pineapple until you have a smooth paste, then add all the other ingredients except for the cream.
2. You want to whip the cream up in your other bowl until it holds stiff peaks, then gradually add your pineapple mixture in a folding motion (you want to do your best not to destroy the texture of the cream too much) once all the mixture is folded in, transfer to your freezer container and freeze.
3. From experience making ice creams, you want to check every 30 minutes or so and whip up with a fork when ice starts to form until it is no longer possible to do so (you break up ice crystals doing this and therefore get a smoother ice cream)
4. Remove from the fridge well before you need to serve (it'll be a lot harder than shop bought ice cream) or freeze in the door as it is not quite as cold there. The liqueur should help this be a fairly soft ice cream though.
   

Lamb and Mint with an Indian Twist

Ingredients
225g Lamb (cut into strips)
150ml Water
120ml Natural Yoghurt
50ml Coconut Milk
2 Onions (thinly chopped)
1 Tablespoon Each Ground Almonds, Fresh Mint (chopped)
1 Teaspoon Each Fresh Ginger (grated) Garam Masala, Salt, Garlic (crushed)
Pinch of Each Ground Cardamom, Ground Cinnamon
4 Black Peppercorns
2 Chillies (finely sliced)
1 Bay Leaf
Oil
Fresh Mint (roughly torn to garnish)

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Spoon
1 Wok/Large Frying Pan
1 Balloon Whisk

The Good Bit

1. Whisk the yoghurt with the coconut milk, adding one at a time the following, chillies, almonds, salt, garlic, cinnamon, mint, ginger, garam masala and cardamom, then set aside.
2. Heat a splash of oil in your wok and fry the onion along with the bay leaf and peppercorns slowly for 5 minutes until the onion is soft and golden, then add the lamb and stir fry for 2 minutes before adding in your sauce.
3. Add in the water, bring to a gentle simmer and cover, leave to cook for 15 minutes stirring only once or twice, then take the lid off, turn up the heat a little, and stir fry for a further 2 minutes, keeping it moving at all times.
4. Serve garnished with chopped mint leaves.
   

Serves 4

Goan Fish Casserole

Ingredients
450g Monkfish Fillets (unskinned and cut into 8 pieces, any fish will do but monkfish will hold its shape)
16 Large Prawns (raw and peeled)
2 Onions (halved then sliced)
1 Clove Garlic (pressed)
1x400g Can Coconut Milk
150ml Fish/Vegetable Stock
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
1 Teaspoon Ginger
1/2 Lemon (juiced)
4 Green Chillies (de seeded and cut into thin strips)
Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Oven Proof Dish
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Pestle and Mortar (or a rolling pin and plastic bag)
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Spatula
1 Garlic Press

The Good Bit

1. Start by placing the fish in the oven proof dish, drizzle with the lemon juice, then in a small bowl mix the turmeric and salt together then rub this into the fish, cover and set aside in a fridge whilst you prepare the rest.
2. Pre heat your oven to 200c 400f gas6, now using the pestle and mortar, grind up the coriander, cumin and peppercorns, now add the garlic and ginger and mix it well together then set aside.
3. Fry the onion in a little oil in your pan for about 6 minutes until it begins to colour, set the onion aside for a minute, turn up the heat on the frying pan and fry the fish rapidly just to seal the outside, turning only once. Put the onions into the oven proof dish (rinse it first) then place the fish on top.
4. Fry the spicy paste for a couple of minutes over a medium heat whilst you add in the coconut milk, chilli strips and stock, bring it the boil then pour over the fish and cover. This goes in the oven then for 10 minutes.
5. Finally drop the prawns in making sure the liquid covers them, re-cover and cook for a further5 minutes (or until the prawns are pink). Season and serve (you could garnish with fresh parsley or coriander)
   

Serves 4

Thai Crab Curry

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste
6 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
12 Crab Claws
2 Tablespoons Sugar
65g Canned Bamboo Shoots (drained)
150ml Thai Fish Stock (vegetable or chicken will do just as well)
1 Lime Leaf (if you can get hold of one)
1 Teaspoon Salt
A Splash of Oil
1/2 a Red Chilli (de seeded and finely sliced) and Coriander Leaves (roughly chopped) to garnish

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. Heat the oil in your frying pan then add the paste (unless your jar/packet of paste says that no oil is required) then melt the paste for 30 seconds, next add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, if the curry becomes to thick just add more stock)
2. Pour out into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves and slices of chilli
   

Serves 4

Cod and Prawn Coconut Curry

Ingredients
675g Cod Fillets (skinned)
6 Tablespoons Masala Curry Paste (green if you can find it)
200ml Coconut Milk
175g Frozen Prawns
250g Rice (cooked to serve)
Handful Fresh Coriander (roughly chopped to garnish)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. Heat the curry paste and coconut milk in the frying pan, leaving it to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, in the mean time cut your cod into 4 cm chunks.
2. Put all the fish in the pan and and cook gently for 5 minutes, until the fish is tender and the prawns are warm throughout, serve with the rice and garnish with the coriander. Follow my guide on the front page for perfect rice every time, you should start your rice just before you warm up the coconut milk, that way it should be ready about the same time.
   

Serves 4

Pork in Coconut Milk

Ingredients
750g Pork
2 Onions (quartered)
4 Red chillies
25g Mixed nuts
1 Teaspoon Thai Fish Sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste)
250ml Water
200ml Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Lemon (juiced)
A Splash of Oil
Fresh Coconut Slices to garnish
Fresh Coriander (chopped to garnish)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Zester
1 Blender/Food Processor
1 Frying Pan
1 Spatula
1 Ladle

The Good Bit

1. Put the onion, nuts, chillies, fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of water into the blender and blend until you have a paste, once this is scoop into the frying pan with a splash of oil and heat for 4 minutes over a low heat, then add the pork and cook until evenly coloured and coated with the paste.
2. Pour in the water and add a pinch of salt, cover and cook for for 30 minutes. At this stage add in 200ml (1/2 a 400ml can) of coconut milk, leave the lid off now and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Finally drop in the sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, give it a good stir then ladle into bowls, to be fancy you can garnish with strips of fresh coconut, a sprinkle of chopped coriander leaves and for a touch of red, a couple of thin strips of red chilli,
   

Serves 4

Chicken Satay

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts
1 400g Can Coconut Milk
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
8 Tablespoons Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 Lemons
2 Carrots (cut into ribbons using a potato peeler)
1/2 Cucumber (cut into ribbons using a potato peeler)
50g Dry Roasted Peanuts
4 Warm Nan Breads
Tabasco Sauce (optional)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Potato Peeler
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Plastic Food Bag
1 Shallow Dish
8 Bamboo Skewers

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your grill to high. Place each of the breasts in the food bag and bat them out as thin as possible with the rolling pin, take out and cut in half lengthways.
2. In the mixing bowl, mix together the coconut, peanut butter and Worcestershire sauce (Tabasco as well if using) then pour into the shallow dish. Toss in the chicken strips, coating well them thread each one onto a skewer and cook under the grill until well browned all over.
3. Heat the remaining satay sauce with a dash of water and squeeze in the juice from 1 of the lemons. Warm your nans to the packet instructions.
4. To serve, on each nan pile some of the carrot and cucumber ribbons with a splash of lemon juice from the other lemon, place on top 2 chicken skewers and drizzle over some of the peanut sauce.
   

Serves 4

Chicken with Coconut Milk

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts (cut into strips)
6 Cardamom Pods
6 Cloves
2 Inch Cinnamon Stick
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Inch Ginger (chopped)
3 Green Chillies (de seeded and thinly sliced)
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
200ml Coconut Milk
1 Red Pepper (thinly sliced to garnish)
Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Blender
1 Frying Pan
1 Spatula

The Good Bit

1. Quickly fry the chicken off in the pan in a splash of oil until it begins to brown, remove and set aside. Add a splash more oil to the pan and fry the cardamom cloves and cinnamon for 1 minute.
2. Turn down the heat and add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, whilst this is doing, blend the garlic, ginger, chillies and lemon juice into a smooth paste, add into the frying pan along with the turmeric and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the coconut milk, season and bring to the boil, add in the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve when done, with a garnish of red pepper strips, these can ever be raw or quickly fried.
   

Serves 4

Thai Vegetables With Couscous

Ingredients
1 Onion
650g Mixed Vegetables (get these from the freezer section in your local shop or make your own, carrot, green beans, celery, broccoli that sort of thing, Cut to bite size strips)
2-3 Teaspoons of Thai Red Curry Paste.
300 ml Vegetable Stock
250g Couscous
350ml Water or Vegetable Stock (boiling)
1/2 400g Can Coconut Milk
50g Chopped Peanuts
A Splash Of Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Heat the oil in the frying pan and cook the onion until soft, 3-4 minutes, if you are using carrots fry them for 2 minutes before adding any other vegetables, add the rest of the vegetables and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Pour in the the first lot of vegetable stock and mix in the curry paste, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and tender.
3. Meanwhile in the bowl, place the couscous and add the second lot of stock or boiling water, allow this to stand for 5 minutes, fluffing it up 2-3 times with a fork.
4. When the vegetables are ready, pour in the coconut milk, heat through, serve on a bed of the couscous and sprinkle over the nuts.
   

Serves 4

Thai Banana Soup

Ingredients
A Splash of Oil (groundnut for authentic, olive will do)
50g Spring Onions (sliced)
1 Clove Garlic (finely Sliced)
200ml Coconut Milk
400ml Vegetable Stock (if your local supermarket sells a thai veg stock in the chillers use that for an excellent taste)
1/4 Teaspoon White Pepper
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Banana (sliced into large slices)
1 Red Chilli (sliced into fairly large slices)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan
A Blender

The Good Bit

1. Fry off the onion and garlic in the oil until soft and golden, whack in the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil, drop the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Set aside 1/4 of the banana and chilli then blend the rest of the soup, once blended add the bits you set aside and reheat, serve hot.

Serves 4

Bananas in Coconut Milk

Ingredients
2 Large Bananas (4 small)
1 400ml Can Coconut Milk (if you have half a can of coconut milk left over from one of the earlier recipes, half the ingredients in this recipe to make it do for two people.)
200ml Water
6 Tablespoons Light Muscovado Sugar

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan

The Good Bit

1. Start by peeling and cutting your bananas (i suggest lengthways and then quarters)
2. Put the rest of the ingredients into a pan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 6 -8 minutes then add the banana and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Serve hot

Serves 4

Cod And Prawn Curry

Ingredients
4 Pieces Cod (large enough for a serving each/size of a chicken breast)
6 Tablespoons Masala Curry Paste
1/2 Can Coconut Milk
175g Cooked and Peeled Prawns
A Handfull Fresh Coriander
250g Rice

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Large Pan (2/3rds full with boiling salted water)
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Colander

The Good Bit

1. Start by putting the rice on and cooking to packet instructions, 10-15mins usually, then cut the cod into bite size chunks.
2. Heat the masala curry past and the coconut milk in the frying pan for five minutes at a gentle simmer then add the cod and cook for 5 mins before adding the prawns, these only need heating through as they are already cooked.
3. Whilst the prawns are heating through check the rice it should be about done, when it is rinse with boiling water in the colander and serve in a ring on four plates before serving up the curry, top with shredded coriander leaves.

Serves 4

White Chicken Curry

Ingredients
2 Onions (thinly sliced)
8 Long Green Chillies (thinly sliced)
1 Inch Fresh Ginger (grated)
1 400g Can Coconut Milk
4 Chicken Breasts (cut into chunks)
1 Lime (juiced)
A Splash of Oil
A Pinch of Salt
What About Nan Bread or Rice to Serve? (250g of rice in a large pan, 2/3rds full of boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes and follow the packet instructions for warming up nan bread)

Equipment
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Spatula
1 Juicer

The Good Bit

1. Heat the oil in the pan then add the onions and cook until they begin to go soft (3 minutes) do not let them colour!!!
2. Add in the chillies, ginger, a pinch of salt and the coconut milk and stir well before adding the chicken and bringing to the boil.
3. Gently simmer the dish for 30minutes stirring occasionally (after this time cut a piece of chicken in half with your spatula and look to make sure there are no pink bits left, it should be perfectly white) don't be afraid to add a little water to the sauce if it begins to burn to the sides of the pan.
4. Once cooked, remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice and serve.
   

Serves 4

Thai Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts (if you are doing these on a barbecue why not go for 8 chicken wings or a few legs)
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Ginger
4 Shallots (finely chopped)
A Handful of Coriander Leaves (chopped)
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/4 of a Can of Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (optional, but authentic)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
6 Garlic Cloves (if you are allowed)
2 Stalks of Lemon Grass (chopped, if you cant get this, a dash of lemon juice will do, fresh of bottled will do)

Equipment
1 Sharp Knife
A Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Oven Proof Dish
1 Chefs Brush

The Good Bit

1. Preheat your oven to 200c 400f or gas mark 6, mix together all the ingredients in the bowl (including the chicken) and leave for at least 4hours so if you can do this before you go out to work or the day before your BBQ that'd be better) (obviously don't preheat the oven until you are ready!!!)
   
2. Cook in the oven for 20-30mins or until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown (similar time on the BBQ, skewer it to make sure the juices are clear and not red) turn over occasionally and brush with the marinade.
3. Serve with the rest of your BBQ or a dish of rice, add on slices of lime for looks if you want to impress.

Serves 4