Hawaiian Grilled Chicken And Info about Coconut Milk ...

 

                                                                            Coconut (Cocos nucifera) belongs to the Palm family (Arecaceae). Grown in abundance in Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, Spanish explorers named the cocos - meaning 'grinning face', because of the three little eyes on the base which they thought resembled a monkey.

Classed as a fruit and frequently confused for being a nut, the coconut is actually a one-seeded drupe. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha - 'tree which gives all that is necessary for living' because nearly all parts can be used, the water, milk, flesh, sugar and oil. Even the husks and leaves are used as materials in furnishings and decoration.

Palm trees produce coconuts up to 13 times a year and although it takes a year for the coconuts to mature, a fully blossomed tree can produce between 60-180 coconuts in a single harvest.

...Watch your head!
Rumour has it 150 people worldwide die each year from falling coconuts!

 

How it's made

 

Creamed coconut and coconut milk are made in a way surprisingly akin to their dairy counterparts. Coconut flesh (the white part) is grated and soaked in hot water. The coconut cream rises to the top and can be skimmed off. The remaining liquid is squeezed through a cheesecloth to extract a white liquid that is coconut milk. By repeating this process, the coconut milk becomes thinner. The thicker version is used for desserts and rich sauces. Thin coconut milk is used for cooking curries and soups. In the UK, fresh coconut milk is unavailable and coconut milk is bought in cans.

 

 

Recipe:

 

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

 

Yield: about 12 servings depending on the size of the thighs

 

• 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce (See Note; the soy sauce and water just needs to be a 1:1 ratio)
• 1 cup water
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve the other half for garnish)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (not essential but add it if you have it)
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk

1. Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 8 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.
2. Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. If you do not have a grill you can use a indoor grill pan.
3. Serve over a platter of coconut rice and garnish with green onions and a drizzle of additional soy sauce.
4. *Coconut rice can be made by just replacing half of the water in your rice recipe with coconut milk. A trick my SIL told me! So good with just the right amount of coconut flavor.