Fresh Mangos in Sweet Coconut Cream with Roasted Peanuts

Mangos and sticky rice is a favorite, this simplified version (no rice) focuses on the best mangos you can find. Other ripe fruits, like pineapple or bananas (which I dust with sugar and torch to caramelize), can be used or even some non-conventional fruit, such as peaches, pair well with the coconut. Traditionally toasted and soaked dried mung beans are used for a crunchy garnish. This recipe uses peanuts, or you could use toasted sesame seeds. For a better sensory experience I will pound a mixture of pan-roasted sesame, coconut and peanuts, and season with chili flakes, sugar, and salt, and use this as a final topping.

Serves 4–6
 Preparation time: 10 mins
 Cooking time: 15 mins

1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk (divided use)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons Thai palm sugar or light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

4 pandanus leaves (optional)

4 ripe mangos—chilled well

¼ cup (30 g) chopped roasted or deep-fried peanuts

1 Whisk ¼ cup (65 ml) of the coconut milk with the cornstarch together in a small bowl. Combine the remaining coconut milk, sugar, salt, and pandanus leaf in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over a low heat. Remove from the heat to steep for 5 minutes. Remove the pandanus leaves, squeezing out all liquid possible to maximize flavor extraction. Discard the leaves. Slowly drizzle in the coconut cornstarch mixture while whisking constantly, bring to a boil, the sauce will thicken considerably. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

2 Peel the mangos, cut two large “cheeks” from each side of the mango seed. Trim the remaining flesh from the seed (you can snack on those tidbits). Slice each slab of mango into thick slices. Arrange decoratively on a plate, spoon the coconut mixture on top of the mangos and sprinkle with the peanuts.

Spiced Mango Cocktail

This rockin’ cocktail burns with the sweet heat of mango and chilies. Thai basil’s anise-like aroma punctuates the cocktail and ginger ale giving it an effervescent sparkle that can be gulped down faster than you realize…proceed carefully as you enter the tropical mango cocktail zone!

Serves 4
 Preparation time: 10 mins

2 cups (370 g) ripe mangos, peeled and pitted

¼ cup (7 g) Thai basil leaves

6 kaffir lime leaves or 1 teaspoon lime zest

2 tablespoons Thai palm sugar or light brown sugar

8 fl oz (250 ml) brandy, vodka or rum

2 cups (500 ml) ginger ale

4 cups (500 g) ice cubes

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

4 Thai chilies, split lengthwise from the point, leaving the stem intact

4 small sprigs of Thai basil

1 Make a fine purée of the mango, basil, lime leaves, sugar, and brandy in a blender. Strain through a wire mesh strainer, then stir in the ginger ale.

2 Fill four 8 oz (250 ml) glasses with the ice cubes.

3 Divide the mango purée into the glasses. Squeeze two lime wedges into each glass, then add the squeezed lime wedges to the glasses.

4 Garnish each glasses with the Thai chilies on the rim and put a basil sprig in the drink.