Curry Coconut Ice Cream

For those of you feeling the first signs of spring among the remaining chill of winter. The many spices in this recipe provide an earthy, invigorating, and overall warming effect. This ice-cream was a big hit among those who tried it. The mingling of sweet & savory, creamy & spicy makes for a bold and complex flavour. Try, too, making it without sweetener, to serve next to savoury dishes.

1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 whole cloves
3 green cardamom pods
2 black peppercorns
2 cups coconut milk
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1-inch fresh ginger root – peeled, sliced and crushed with a knife
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon xanathan gum or 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
ice-cream machine

1. Toast whole dried spices in a medium, heavy-bottom sauce pan over medium low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Coarsely crush spices in a mortar& pestle or coffee grinder. Return to the pan, add coconut milk, turmeric and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat, lower the heat to a slow simmer and cook for 20 minutes, partially covered. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. If you have a high-speed blender such as Blendtech or Vitamix, pour milk with spices into the blender, add maple syrup and xanathan gum/arrowroot powder and blend until smooth. If you have a regular blender, strain the milk and discard spices. Add strained milk into the blender with maple syrup and xanathan gum/arrowroot powder and blend to combine.

3. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and let chill thoroughly, preferably overnight. Churn in an ice-cream machine for 20-25 minutes or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop into a container and freeze for at least 4 hours. When the ice-cream becomes hard, let it soften at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

NOTE:
Is there anyway to grind up the spices anyway and add in even if you don’t have the a high speed blender? I would really like that added punch.

You can first dry toast all the spices and grind them into a homemade curry powder. Then just blend the curry powder with the milk and the rest of the ingredients, process and chill. Hope you enjoy the ice cream 🙂

 I heard of someone eating pumpkin soup with a dollop of curry ice cream on top, in a restaurant. It sounded wonderful, and I have always wanted to make it.

(from  https://golubkakitchen.com/recipes/)

 

Easy Vegetarian Pho

This soup relies on the mushrooms! The noodle is very delicious, the soup is rich and easy to cook.
serves 2

Ingredients
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tab whole peppercorns
¼ teaspoon whole cloves
5 cups water
½ small yellow onion, cut into 1” chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced in half
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
¼ cup tamari, more to taste
1 Tab rice vinegar, more to taste
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise into quarters
½ cup frozen edamame
4 oz cooked rice noodles
For serving:
Lime slices
Mung bean sprouts
Fresh herbs: basil, mint, and/or cilantro
Sriracha, sliced Thai chillies, or sliced jalapeños

1.  In a medium pot over low heat, combine the star anise, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2.  Add the water, onion, garlic, ginger, and the stems of the shiitake mushrooms. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain and return the liquid back to the pot.
3.  Slice the shiitake mushroom caps and add them to the pot along with the tamari, rice vinegar, and scallions. Simmer 15 minutes.
4.  Add the bok choy and edamame and cook until tender, 5-8 minutes. Taste and season with more tamari for depth of flavor, and more rice vinegar for tang, as desired.
5.  Ladle the soup into 2 bowls over the cooked rice noodles. Serve with the lime slices, sprouts, herbs, sriracha, chili peppers, and more tamari on the side.

Vegan Pho Recipe Tips
Don’t skip the garnishes. When you order pho at a Vietnamese restaurant, it will always come with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime, chiles, and/or sauces on the side. Though they’re presented as garnishes, these fixings are an essential part of seasoning the soup. Stir them into the hot broth for rich depth of flavor. If you ask me, this is the best part of eating pho. You can season it just how you like it!

Customize it! I love this vegetarian pho recipe as written, but feel free to customize it to your liking. Add baked or fried tofu for a heartier soup or replace the bok choy with spinach or shredded Napa cabbage. If you can’t find shiitake mushrooms, use cremini or oyster mushrooms in their place. For a lighter option, omit the noodles, or replace them with zucchini noodles.

Make it ahead. This vegan pho recipe serves two, but if you want to have leftovers, double it. I recommend storing the broth separately from the noodles and vegetables. Otherwise, the noodles will absorb the broth in the fridge. I also like to cook fresh bok choy even if I’m reheating the broth. That way, it retains its vibrant green color.

COMMENTS:

  • Made it and it was as good as restaurant, meat-based pho. IMPRESSED.
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  • Loved the recipe!! It turned out perfectly balanced and bursting with fresh flavours. My daughter said it was the best Pho she has ever had!!! 🙂 Thank you.