Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Asian influence - Prawns with coconut rice and sago dessert




This is a quickly-prepared meal for when you don't much feel like cooking or sweating over a hot stove (er, when do I ever not feel like that? - rhetorical question).  It's prawns with coconut rice.

The prawns are bought from the supermarket or fish shop already peeled and cooked - large prawns are better in this dish.  The rice is cooked in coconut milk which imparts a wonderful flavour and moistness to the grains of basmati.  To cheat even further, I used a packet of pre-cooked basmati rice (the ones that you microwave, except I didn't microwave it).  The cooking time is reduced because of the pre-cooking, but the coconut milk still gets absorbed readily.

Prawns with Coconut Rice
serves 2

Ingredients
200ml light coconut milk
150ml water
200g basmati rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 lime, juiced
1 tblsp fish sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
200g large cooked, peeled prawns
1 stalk celery, finely sliced
1 red chilli, finely sliced

Method
1.  Bring coconut milk and water to a simmer in a large saucepan.  Add rice and salt.  Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 mins.
2.  Make a sauce by mixing the lime juice, fish sauce, ginger and brown sugar.
3.  Spoon the rice into bowls, top with the prawns, celery and chilli and pour over the sauce.


The basmati rice can be the pre-cooked variety.  The sauce is a fragrant mixture that includes fish sauce and lime juice.


Pour over the sauce before serving.


Add a couple of lime wedges to squeeze over.

For dessert, I mixed the leftover coconut milk with a jar of sago dessert that I picked up from the Malayisa Festival a few months ago.  You just mix a 1/4 cup of coconut milk with the sago and chill in the refrigerator.  The sago dessert is extremely sweet - full of caramelised palm sugar - so the coconut milk is essential.


This dessert is a refreshing complement to the prawn and coconut rice.  It would also be good after a spicier meal, such as rendang or curry.

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14 comments:

  1. I love your 'cheat' of using the pre-cooked rice for your coconut rice, it saves so much time! I've seen that sago dessert around, I think they sometimes sell it in the asian section of Coles :) Might get it next time I have a sago craving!

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  2. i saw the sago jar at woolies last night but cos i rode my bike to the shops i didnt wanna lug anything back too heavy (so only bought light weight snacks)

    but yummy - thats just a simple desert & dinner to make, thanks for sharing hehe

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  3. What a speedy idea for dinner. I always look at the sago dessert and tell myself it's so much cheaper to make my own, but then I never do cos I can't be bothered. lol.

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  4. I see Ayam brand stuff! Can you get Ayam brand tuna over there? ;p

    Nice fusion of flavors you have in this dish.

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  5. Nothing like a quick and tasty dinner! Like you said, esp good in hot weather =)

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  6. i love all the colours in this prawn dish! otherwise, the jar of sago looks like a good idea. much easier than boiling them in a pot.

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  7. Sago OMG yum. I didnt even know that it came in a jar. I'm getting some for sure. Your prawns with coconut rice looks delicious.

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  8. I love the idea of the prawns in coconut rice - what a simple yet delicious dish! The dessert is also one of my favourites. Will there be any taste difference using light coconut milk versus the regular coconut milk?

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  9. Easy peasy yum! Great flavours. I haven't noticed the canned sago before but I think now I'm going to have to try it.

    Also, I for one love sweating over a hot stove...especially in summer. With chillies. Nothing like having your hair plastered across your bright red face.

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  10. What a lovely and fuss-free idea! Funny you mention the sago from MFesh coz I actually have one from the Good Food & Wine Show months and months ago! I'd better use it quick ;)

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  11. Poifect summer dish! Love sago- I'm such an Asian LOL And coconut rice just melts my chocolate heart

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  12. Lovely and fresh looking dinner, yum! I've never seen sago in a jar before - interesting!

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  13. hi Stephcookie - yes, the sago is at the supermarket - if you're lucky enough to find one that has a good Asian section, that is.

    hi Betty - you're welcome. You should get a jar next time, it makes a tasty (though very sweet) dessert.

    hi Helen - sago can be a bit messy to make, I think (esp. if it sticks to the pan!). I would buy the jar again.

    hi tigerfish - Ayam is quite a global brand. I think I've had the tuna with chilli - it's not bad at all.

    hi mlle delicieuse - I don't know about you, but I always use the weather as an excuse not to cook - it's always too hot or too cold for me!

    hi panda - I wasn't going to put the celery in, but I thought the dish needed some green! Maybe cucumber would have been good, too.

    hi A cupcake or two - thanks! The jar of sago serves 2, but I think you could pad it out with more coconut milk to serve more.

    hi Trissa - I don't think there is any flavour difference. The reduced fat milk is a bit thinner, but tastes pretty much the same.

    hi Conor - oh I know that look - sweat dripping off the brow, as you stir a steaming pot. We don't all look like Nigella, do we?

    hi Jenius - thankfully my jar had a long expiration date! And I needed a quick dessert that day...

    hi Adrian - it's funny, but I don't like plain rice that much. But coconut rice... mmm, fatty!

    hi Agnes - amazing what they come up with! What next, rice in a jar, heehee?!

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  14. What a great idea that sago dessert with coconut milk is! Thanks for the tip!

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