Blanca asks: “If a recipe asks for coconut milk can I use coconut cream instead?”

If you’re talking about that amazing stuff you use to make those deliciously boozy Piña Coladas that we all love… then the answer is no. Absolutely not. You’ll end up with something way too sweet.

Let’s start at the beginning. Coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut water and cream of coconut are used in tons of recipes in Latin American and Asian cuisines. Sometimes they can be used interchangeably, but you need to carefully read the label. (We’ll assume you’re not making fresh coconut milk from whole coconuts, right?)

Speaking of fresh coconuts, I know a woman from the Philippines who can open a coconut like she’s opening a peanut. But that’s not you and me, Blanca, like most people, we have to rely on cans or cartons, so here we go:

Coconut milk is a little bit thicker and creamier than cow’s milk. It’s made by pouring equal parts of boiling hot water over the freshly grated meat of a brown coconut. The mixture is pressed to release as much liquid as possible, then cooled and strained. Coconut milk is gently fruity and rich because of the high oil content. Most of the fat is saturated fat. It’s has a very subtle sweetness, although canned varieties may have added sugar and preservatives. Coconut milk is often used in savory dishes in place of tomato sauce and as a broth in sauces and soups. Always shake the can before using.

Coconut cream has a paste-like density because it contains less water. It’s made the same way as coconut milk, but the ratio of grated coconut meat to water is higher, about four parts coconut to one part water. After it is strained, refrigerated and allowed to set, the smooth coconut cream is skimmed off the top of the coconut milk. There is barely any sweetness with coconut cream, but the coconut flavor is marvelous. Think of it this way: Coconut cream is to coconut milk what condensed milk is to regular milk… thicker and richer. It’s also sold in wax-like blocks.

Coconut water comes from the liquid inside green coconuts. It’s an excellent thirst quencher. A great source of potassium, coconut water has become the darling of the sports world. It’s packed with naturally occurring minerals and essential electrolytes. It’s not sweet, but is amazingly delicious. Coconut water, straight from a real coconut is tremendously popular in the tropics as an on-the-go drink. Here’s a video from an open market in Grenada:

Finally, cream of coconut is coconut milk that contains sweeteners, emulsifiers and thickeners. It’s used in sweet fruity drinks and desserts. I wouldn’t use this when making savory dishes, but you definitely CAN use it to make a fun cocktail to serve with those savory dishes!

So you see, there is a big difference between coconut milk and coconut cream (as well as coconut water and cream of coconut!). Thanks for asking, Blanca!

If you love coconut as much as I do, check out these recipes:

Coconut Raspberry Ice Pops

Glorious Morning Glory Bread

Holiday Rice Pudding

Dream Cookie Bars

I know what you’re thinking: “A stew. Really? When it’s so hot and muggy?”

Yes… because this Vietnamese Beef Stew proves that it IS possible for a stew to be light, and, dare I say it, refreshing.

It’s the star anise and cinnamon combination that lifts this stew above the ordinary and gives it a playful summery flavor. Simmering it for hours tenderizes an otherwise tough cut of meat and allows the flavors to deepen and develop.

My inspiration for this stew comes from a similar dish I devoured at James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd’s restaurant, Underbelly, in Houston.

I prepared this recipe on top of the stove in my Pauli Cookware. You can also cook it in a crockpot, so that after being out of the house all day enjoying summer, you’ll have a great dinner waiting for you at home!

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Star anise is a key ingredient in this dish… read more about it in my post “What is Star Anise?”
Here’s another delicious dish I think you’ll enjoy… Seafood Cioppino.

Bobbi asks: I was eating in a Chinese restaurant the other day and I found a few of these star-shaped things in my soup. I tried biting one, but it was like a rock! What is it? That’s star anise, Bobbi! You’re not going to believe this, but I just used it in a delicious Vietnamese Beef Stew recipe I’m going to post tomorrow.

Star anise is the dried, rust-brown star-shaped seedpod of the Chinese magnolia and is about one-inch long. It has a pungent licorice flavor that is bitter… but that isn’t a bad thing! When you add it to slow-cooked or simmered dishes, star anise makes the flavor of the whole dish pop.

When ground, star anise is one of the spices in Chinese five-spice powder. Besides Chinese cuisine, star anise (ground or otherwise) is used in almost all Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, including Vietnamese soups and Indian curries. You can find star anise in Asian or ethnic supermarkets, or online at specialty spice shops like The Spice House.

Make sure the star anise is not broken, but in whole 8-point star pieces. Keep it in a sealed container in a cool dark place (like all spices!).

Only add WHOLE pieces of star anise to a dish (don’t break it up). That way you can pluck them out before serving (and not have to worry about anyone cracking a tooth!).

One other thing… star anise is used  in traditional Chinese medicine to help cure colic in babies and as a digestive aid. And shikimic acid extracted from the seed is an ingredient in the antiviral drug Tamiflu that’s used to fight avian influenza!

OK… so who, exactly, is this General Tso and why is his chicken dish so popular? (I mean, like, was he the Colonel Sanders of his time?)

In honor of the Chinese New Year, which began on February 10, I whipped up one of my favorite Chinese dishes: General Tso’s Chicken. At least I’ve always thought it was Chinese.

This spicy-sweet dish is one of the most popular menu items in Chinese restaurants across the U.S. But, the truth is, it isn’t really Chinese… it was actually invented by a Chinese chef working here in the United States.

Then just who is General Tso? Good question. His real name was Zuo Zongtang and he was a wily Chinese military leader during the Qing Dynasty known for his craftiness. He suppressed a major revolt. But there isn’t any connection between him and his namesake recipe… he didn’t invent it or anything.

General Tso was blessed with a catchy name (maybe he was sweet, but spicy, too).

Usually this dish is deep fried, but I changed it and simply sautéed the chicken. Instead of bathing it in sauce as you normally would, I made it a dipping sauce.

You’ll have some sauce leftover, so use it later in the week on steamed veggies to feed the troops…

General Tso would be so proud!

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