Go green, go coconutty

As the year draws to an end, here are some fun mocktails you can serve during the many weddings, parties and social events coming up. Go green, go Coconutty!  Let a bit of Harry Belafonte enter your lives and call out to the coconut-uh woman and enjoy  the heady mix of different juices and fruits with our best thirst quencher: daab er pani. Here's looking to a healthy November!

Used as an intravenous saline drip for many allied forces soldiers during the WWII, green coconut water is also believed to bestow spiritual growth according to the Hindu religion. In ancient times, Women in Hawaii were not allowed to eat coconuts just as they are still not allowed to touch a coconut tree in Bali, for fear of draining the tree of its fertility.

Coconuts are known to have originated from regions around the Indian ocean and due to their buoyancy, their seeds have travelled far and wide now available in all tropical destinations. The coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha in Sanskrit, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living," because nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some manner or another. 

COCONUT MILK THAI SOUP WITH CHICKEN
Ingredients:
½ kg boneless skinless chicken breasts
Handful of chopped spring onions
1 red bell pepper, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
2 jalapeño or larger chilis, seeded and minced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced (available in dried form as well)
4 cups chicken stock 
500 ml of 1 can full-fat coconut milk 
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. lemon zest
Fresh minced herbs, such as coriander or basil/tulsi
Lime wedges (for serving)
1 tbsp. organic ghee (my regular readers know how I advise using organic ghee.. though sparingly!)  
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
In a large wok or pan, sautee the spring onions, garlic and ginger, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the carrot, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and mushroom, and cook until softened. Add the chicken, chicken stock, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Remove the chicken 

from the soup and shred it into chunks, before returning it to the pot. Stir in the lemon zest, the fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste, and remove from the heat. 

Serving:
Garnish each bowl with a lime wedge to serve.

LASSI IN A COCONUT! 
Pina Colada (virgin): Which literally means strained pineapple
From tales of a pirate who used a delicious concoction to keep his crew from dipping into depression, to bartenders in San Juan, Puerto Rico contesting to be the original concocters of this feel good drink, we can kick our shoes off, sit back and relax to enjoy the depth of flavors of the Pina Colada. 

Ingredients: 
1 large pineapple, 
coconut cream and brown sugar (optional)

Method:
Coconut cream: 1 cup of shredded coconut added with 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Blend the flakes in a food processor and add some oil to make it into a paste. Preserve this cream. 

Take 1 whole pineapple and use a juicer to get its juice. Add about 1 tablespoon of the coconut cream paste into a serving glass and add the pineapple juice with some ice to chill it. You may add one teaspoon of brown sugar per glass but the pineapple juice should be sweet enough on its own.

Serving:
Sprinkle a few mint leaves on top and serve it chilled. 

PINK VIRGIN MOJITO
Earnest Hemingway visited a little bar in Cuba called "La Bodeguita del Medio" and fell in love with the drink they served him. It consisted of rum, coconut water, lime and some other flavors but today we know this drink as a mojito! 

Ingredients: 
200 ml Coconut water
200 ml Watermelon juice
1 chopped lemon
¼ cup mint leaves
2 teespoons of honey

CRUSHED ICE
Alternately, you can substitute the watermelon juice with some papaya juice

Method
Roughly chop the mint leaves as well the 1 lemon and add 2 of teaspoons of honey and mix it. Then add ice to the glass and pour over 200g of blitzed seeded watermelon and 200ml of the coconut water. 

Serving:
Serve it with barbequed food to get a true sense of the tastes of this virgin mojito 

Coconut Coffee Frappe

Ingredients: 
250-300 ml coconut water 
1/2 a can of organic coconut milk (stir before adding it)
1 cup of ice
1 fresh double espresso
1 tbs organic coconut oil

Method: 
Get all the ingredients out and ready, brew your double espresso then start to prepare the ingredients

Empty the coconut water and half can of coconut milk into a blend then add the coconut oil, add the ice and if you want, you may add a few good dollops of double cream. Add the espresso last and blend for 30 seconds and serve straight away in a cold tall glass

Serving: 
Dress with a fresh sprig of mint or a swirl of thick coffee on top.

Photo: Collected