With Summer looming over the horizons and temperatures starting to soar, it's back to that time of the year where by salads become brighter, yummier and more exotic, filled with an abundant array of flavours and textures. You need not be embracing your wanderlust by traveling to a far-off sandy island to enjoy these delectable delights! Create those tropical vibes and flavours yourself at home, enjoy it with your friends and family at your own leisure.
Want to eat and drink your way to the tropics and impress your friends ? Then, take it to the next level with the latest food trend, Edible Coconut Bowls. If you are always looking to break up your breakfast or lunch routine, these bowls will not only make it fun, boost your health and be a great talking point. These treats bowls are definitely cool for the summer.
The Sweet Side:
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Fruit with Granola & Edible Flowers
Blend the 2 frozen Acai packs in a blender with 1/2 a banana and coconut water or almond milk until it's thick and smooth like a smoothie.
Top with sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, toasted coconut and crumbled granola. For a more tropical edge, add edible flowers, and enjoy immediately.
Acai with Red Dragonfruit Sherbet
Sometimes food has a cool factor. It could be a unique way it looks, it's eye-catching color or texture. Every now and then you will come across one with all the coolness factors wrapped into one. Such is the case with this Red Dragon Fruit Sherbet. The first cool factor is Looks, the dragon fruit's appearance can vary depending on the type, has scale-like tips like leaves which look like they are ready to be peeled. Unlike a banana however, this fruit needs to be sliced. Inside, it is filled with a soft fibrous flesh with tiny seeds similar to a kiwi. The inside flesh can be anywhere from a bright white to the most amazing red or magenta color.
Photo by instagram.com/alexjollie
Dragon fruit has a very mild and sweet flavour comparable to melon or kiwi. To ensure dragon fruit’s flavour stands out, use honeydew melon as a companion in the sherbet. This sherbet recipe can be made with any of the dragon fruit variety as the taste will be the same, but the colour won’t be anything like using red dragon fruit.
Dragon Fruit Sherbert (1 Hour)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups chopped red dragon fruit
1 cup chopped honeydew melon
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup half-n-half
Place the red dragon fruit, honeydew melon, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade. Process until smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
Pour mixture into a bowl. Whisk in half-n-half. Chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Pour chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer sherbet to a freezer safe container. Freeze for at least one hour prior to serving.
Once the sherbet has set, blend 2 packs of Acai in the blender, pour into the coconut bowls, scoop in a few Red Dragonfruit Sherbet balls and sprinkle with moist coconut flakes et Voila!
Savoury Side:
Photo by instagram.com/Christina Vlahoulis
Coconut is definitely not just for your breakfast and dessert. Mix together some noodles, curry and seafood for a bowl you can eat for lunch or dinner.
Coconut Combo: Coconut times two means double the fun. Spoon some delectable coconut curry into your bowl for a serious chow down.
Coconut Prawn Curry (15 mins)
INGREDIENTS
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2 teaspoons vegetable oil
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5cm piece ginger, finely chopped
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2 teaspoons madras curry powder
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1/2 teaspoon dried chilli powder
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1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
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2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, finely chopped
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1/2 cinnamon stick
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2 bay leaves
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400ml can Ayam coconut cream
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2 cups Campbell's Real Stock Chicken
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1.5kg large green prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact
Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add ginger. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened. Add curry powder, chilli powder and turmeric. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add tomatoes, cinnamon and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
Slowly add coconut cream, stirring constantly. Add stock. Increase heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.
Reduce heat to low. Add prawns. Cook for 3 minutes or until prawns just turn pink. Discard cinnamon. Dish up your masterpiece in half a coconut and garnish.
Photo by instagram.com/alexjollie
Fresh Prawns and Rice noodle Salad (15 Mins)
INGREDIENTS
1 kg large cooked king prawns
200 g rice noodles
1 carrot, grated
1 mango, diced
1/2 cup snow peas
1 cup red cabbage
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
1 spring onion, sliced thinly
Shell and devein prawns, leaving tails intact.
Place noodles in large heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water. Stand until just tender; drain.
Using kitchen scissors, cut noodles into random lengths.
Stir-fry prawns in oil with lime juice and honey until cooked, remove from heat.
Add all the ingredients in the coconut bowl and garnish to taste.
For a little bit of spice, add 1 thinly sliced red chilli into wok when cooking the prawns.
