You know I like nothing better than a cookbook challenge YUM!! And because Jo & Fouad are coming to Tassie at the end of August – this was a good excuse to cook the book!! Plus it’s great because the recipes are so healthy in the ” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Life Changing Food cookbook too!! I have already made a few delicious recipes from the book but I’m looking forward to trying some I haven’t tried yet too. Bring it on!! YUM!!
Have you made it yet? It is so easy & perfect if you have some Dried coconut & not coconut milk or cream & can’t be bothered going to the shop to buy some for a recipe. I very rarely buy it myself now & just make the coconut milk as I need it just before I start the recipe. You can also freeze any leftovers if you are not intending on using it soon. I first tried the recipe from the Thermomix Fast & Easy Indian Cooking book about 4 years ago. Now I use Jo Whitton’s recipe from her Quirky Cooking cookbook available here & please feel free to watch her video too. You will need a nut bag (yes if this is the first time you have heard of a nut bag you are permitted to laugh – like I did the first time I heard about them) You could use fine muslin but for around $10 – $20 investment you will get a lot of use out of it. You can purchase them online or at most health food shops.
As always it is best to start with the best quality ingredients you can afford so I start with organic shredded coconut 300g.
Mill for 20 secs on speed 9
Next add 800g water & chop for 1 min on speed 9. Strain using a nut bag. And I usually start the straining like this with my nut bag over the simmering basket to let the first lot of milk through & then I love to pick up the nut bag & squeeze the milk through – I imagine it’s sort of like milking a cow?!
Yes I made coconut milk!! And I know what’s in it too – I hope this post has inspired you to give it ago too!
If you want to make this into coconut cream you then add melted coconut oil slowly to emulsify into the warmed coconut milk as per Jo’s recipe.
If I have these in my fridge/pantry already made my life is so much easier – here is my list!!
Veggies Stock Paste
The first thing you make when you get a Thermomix, it saves you money & it adds extra flavour to soups & casseroles. Made from fresh veggies & herbs & a lot of salt to preserve it. It can last in the fridge for up to 6 months if you didn’t use it up first! 1 teaspoon is equal to 1 stock cube. Here is the ingredients list or you can put other things in too like mushrooms or leftover green parts of your leeks. So versatile & it packs a flavour punch!
Thermomix made natural yoghurt
The automated recipe on the Thermomix model 5 is fantastic, with the option of using cream (yes please) and using powdered milk. it is one of 2 recipes where the blades stop moving & it keeps it at 37 degrees for 8 hours. Yoghurt is a great substitute for anything with sour cream if you don’t have any on hand, good for smoothies & also if you strain it over night you had labne – the most delicious yoghurt cheese!!
Tikka Paste
This paste is pure gold, so full of flavour. There are many variations on this paste recipe, I love the one from the Indian book so I am going to stick with that. Not only is this paste the start of the butter chicken recipe, (once you have your chicken marinating you can have butter chicken on the table in about 1/2 hour a perfect weeknight meal.) You can also use it to marinate any meat before grilling it. It makes a good marinade for a whole chicken before you steam it too. PS Yes you can store chillies, ginger or other fresh herbs in the freezer until you need them.
Pesto
This is just so versatile, a dip or spread or toss through fresh pasta. So many varieties of pesto to try, pictures here is Jude Blereau’s recipe for pumpkin seed & coriander pesto. Here is my regular pesto recipe or my kale pesto recipe. You can use different nuts or a mixture of herbs, or even add some spinach leaves in for some sneaky veggie smuggling! Pesto is also an awesome filling in scrolls with cheese 🙂
Mustard
I hope you like it hot? This is my recipe for spicy mustard yum!! I use it when I make mayo or spread onto cold meats. I also use it in the famous veloute’ sauce we do at the Thermomix demo.
Vanilla Bean Paste
My friend Charlie did extensive testing to create this awesome recipe that I use all the time. TIP: After making it add milk to the bowl and make the best vanilla milkshake ever!! Flavour saving is awesome!!
My friends from A girl, a guy, furkids and food have the best butter recipe or check out Dani Valent’s video on making butter here along with some great flavoured butter ideas. So why would you make your own butter? It tastes so good!! You can save money & you also get buttermilk to cook with as well! Here is my butter post.
Milled Pink Salt with Dulse (seaweed)
I know I store my pink salt in a pink chook? It’s kind of a bit strange but it’s worked for me the last 4.5 years!! I was first introduced to this salt by Fiona Hoskin at the first demo at my house when I had just decided to become a Thermomix consultant. It’s got lot’s of minerals etc but I just love the taste, it’s a recipe from Cyndi O’Meara. I used to use a recipe for it, but i make up a big container of it & then use it for everything even in my stock paste. I use about 500g of Himalayan rock salt & 50g dulse flakes & mill it up for on speed 10 for about a min until it has reached the consistency I like.
Homemade Mayo or Aioli
You can make so many different variations on mayo, using different oils, or egg free, add any herbs you like? I always love having garlic, lemon & homemade mustard in mine. I’ve even made a wasabi & lime version. So good to use as a dip on some bread or to dress a potato or sweet potato salad.
Chlorophyll Paste
Recipe is in the In the Mix Cookbook I keep ice cubes of this paste in the freezer & add them to my smoothies or juices for an intense kick of green goodness 🙂
I normally make this right before starting my curry recipe, and then depending on the curry recipe I use the same TM bowl for the curry without washing the bowl (flavour saving) I love using Quirky Cooking recipe here is a good video that shows how to do it. Yes you will need a nut milk bag to strain it – they are available online or at most health food shops.
Wraps
I need to thank my foodie friend Charlie again for this recipe she got it off her Indian friend’s Mum & converted it to the Thermomix. So versatile I have used different oils or fats added black sesame seeds to make it look a bit different – here is the video of Charlie cooking her roti wraps. You can store them in the freezer wrapped in glad wrap & reheat them in the varoma.
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