Tag Archives: coconut

Tembleque, my version…

23 Dec

I have several recipes for tembleque here in KarmaFree Cooking…  All of them I have made, all of them I have enjoyed… but none of them I have developed myself.

My friend Aniette told me she makes a recipe she got from YouTube and that her Houston friends, who have never had tembleque, loved. Aniette has never tasted the actual recipe, because she’s allergic to coconut. And no offense to her Houston friends, but the texture of the recipe is not what tembleque should be like… IMHO. It was more like a coconut mousse, not tembleque.

What I really enjoyed about the youtube recipe was that it only had 4 ingredients. Tembleque is a simple recipe that shouldn’t be complex or difficult to make. To me, tembleque is the perfect recipe to teach at a Xmas-themed cooking class.

So I made about 4-5 batches of  tembleque before I felt comfortable to teach who to make it at the most recent KarmaFree Cooking cooking class. The results are tasty, jiggly and smooth like a tembleque should always be.

Tembleque My Way

TEMBLEQUE, My Way

2 cans coconut milk (one large 25oz can)
1 cup water
6tbs cornstarch
2/3 cups brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 or 2 sticks of cinnamon
Ground Cinnamon to taste
  1. In a large saucepan or small pot at medium high heat, add the coconut milk. Feel free to use a larger pot than you think you might need so you’ll have enough space to stir the mix.
  2. Add the sugar, salt,  cinnamon sticks and stir well with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add 1 cup of water to the cans to “wash them” from any leftover coconut milk. Add the cornstarch to this water to create a slurry. Mix well with a small whisk and add to the pot on the stove.
  4. Stir the mixture kinda constantly to avoid the cornstarch to fall to the bottom of the pot and create lumps. When the mixture feels it’s starting to thicken, lower the heat so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Continue stirring making a figure 8 until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and when you run your finger thru the coating the side do not come together again.
  5. Transfer to a heat resistant mold or transfer to individual plastic cups for individual servings. I like 3oz cups. They’re a nice little serving and if you want some more, just have 2.
  6. Allow to slightly cool for about 20 minutes on top of the kitchen counter. After that, transfer to the fridge to cool and set for about 2 hours. The final product will set but still be “jiggly” when you shake the mold or cup.K

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Warming up and cooling off on the streets of India…

19 Apr

After visiting India the last time in April, we swore never again to visit when the weather has started to warm up. This time around we visited India from end of February to mid-March and it was super fun weather-wise because we had a whole range of temperatures in the different cities we visited.

In Allahabad, just like in a desert, it was chilly in the mornings and evenings and warm during the day… chilly enough to wear fleece!!! But in the south of India, the weather was warm and tropical, just like being in Puerto Rico. We even got to take paddle boarding lessons from some new Hawaiian friends , Tim and Kenny,  in our hotel pool!!!

Weather Collage

With all these weather changes, sometimes we had to warm up ourselves from the inside out… and sometimes we had to cool ourselves down the best way we know how…

To warm up… what better way than chai masala!!! I’ve already shared mu love for chai masala. Ever since I tasted it for the first time in Varanasi, I’ve been a true fan. I was fascinated with how in every stop, every city, and every back alley we visited someone was making chai masala for people to buy. And according to Tim and Kenny, who became somewhat of connoisseurs in chai masala tasting, the best chai’s come from the streets!!!! And in my experience… also the best chai masala’s are served in clay cups – the ones you use once and break after drinking your serving… I wish I had more pictures of all the times we had chai on this trip.

Chai Masala Collage

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To cool off… we drank lots of coconut water right from the coconut itself!! Just like we do in Puerto Rico!! Some coconuts were sweeter than others, but it is way better to drink coconut water than any other packaged juice. It’s like nature’s Gatorade. We drank these coconuts while in Rameshwaram, almost at the tipy-tip of India, right in front of Sri Lanka. The perfect treat after visiting temples…

Agua de Coco India 5

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Down in Pondicherry, the heat felt like the middle of summer in the Caribbean!!! Sweat was rolling down our backs… if you know what I mean. The best way to cool off the “Indian way” is enjoying a cool, delicious kulfi. I had the chance to taste kulfi once while in Varanasi, but I did not know the name then. Kulfi is a milk-based frozen dessert usually flavored with saffron, cardamom and pistachios. They sell them in ice cream stands and it’s the perfect treat when you need something cold and creamy. My friend Fabiola was fascinated with kulfi… I think we have another convert here!!!!

Kulfi Collage

I searched the internet and I found a few kulfi recipes… here is one I will be trying to make real soon. Hope you like it too!!!

What’s your favorite way to warm-up or cool-down? Any other ideas?

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Coconut Water – The Wonder Drink

17 Oct

I was getting ready to write a post about the wonderful cleansing effects of coconut water, based on my experience, of course.  But I also have to touch upon the fact that in NYC, coconut water is the rage…

Everywhere I went in NYC I saw coconut water – in the Chinese market in Queens, at the Food Emporium in Manhattan, at the Grand Central Market and even it was served at party I went hosted by a nutritional education program.  Apparently, it’s the hot cool drink of the moment.

It’s funny, because here in Puerto Rico, we are very familiar with coconut water.  Coconuts can be found anywhere and if you cut into one, more than likely it will have water inside.  But us, city dwellers, do not cut out own coconuts in search for their delicious, sweet water – we go to the Plaza del Mercado, the closest thing to a farmer’s market we have in PR.  At the Plaza del Mercado in Santurce, the one closest to my home, I go to the Juice stand and they sell the coconut water in ½ Gallon containers for $5, plus tax.

                                       

Coconut water is very rich in nutrients – potassium, calcium, among others.  There are many sites describing the diverse health benefits of drinking coconut water.  I have even heard that the higher the tree/plant where the fruit grows is, the more benefits it has for those who consume it… and you have seen how tall palm trees grow…

Coconut water also has a laxative effect when drank in larger quantities.  I use coconut water to cleanse my digestive system to get ready for our yoga retreats.  For these laxative properties to take effect you need to drink a ½ gallon of fresh coconut water (not the kind they sell canned or in aseptic boxes) in one sitting.  Drink it slowly, but steadily in one sitting or until you can’t drink any more.  You’ll start to feel how your intestines start moving and shaking.  I usually top it off with a Kiwi Juice to complete the cleansing effect.  Drink it when you know you’ll be able to stay home and with a bathroom nearby.  This is not the moment to decide to run errands.

If you live in NYC – I saw fresh coconut water at the Grand Central Market.  It was expensive – this little bottle was $2.99.  But I am sure that if you visit Spanish Harlem or any other neighborhood market that caters to a Latin/Hispanic community you might be able to find it cheaper and mot probably in larger containers.  Because you’ll need about 4- 5 of these little containers to get the desired cleansing effects.

I love this way of cleansing your system because you’re getting nourished while you’re cleaning.  For people with constipation problems, I would urge them to drink 16-20 ounces of coconut water on a daily basis and see what happens.  I am no doctor or medical practitioner, but I have seen the effects it has on me and believe me… you will become more regular if you drink this by the ½ gallon.

Try it… and let me know what effects it had on you.  Plus, you’ll be all the rage… how cool is that?

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Rex Cream @ Isabela

9 Jul

A few weekends ago,  I went on a weekend trip with my friend Rosani to the beautiful town of Isabela, located in the northwest side of Puerto Rico.   Isabela is where my grandfather’s family is from. 

We loved visiting Isabela when I was younger – to visit the family and to go to the beach.  Isabela is a surfer town so there are beaches for everyone.  We stayed at a nice resort, but we are locals and do not like to be confined to resort world.  When we went into town, it was sooooooo hot that my body only craved cold things instead of lunch.  That’s when we discovered this little ice cream shoppe called Rex Cream.  The place is called and it’s located in a side street off the Plaza.  Their ice creams looked like gelatos, but they are all done with milk, cream or water.  None of them include eggs.  These were sooooooo good that we went there 2 days in a row.

Rosani ordered Coconut the first day and Corn the second.  Here’s a picture of the Corn ice cream.  Can you see the pieces of yellow corn?  They can garnish them with cinnamon if you like.  They tasted creamy, sweet and made of real stuff… none of that crappy artificial fillers.  We have a place in Lares that supposedly was where the corn ice cream was invented… Rosani’s palette says the Isabela version is way better.

I went for something tangier – Tamarind and Passion Fruit.  Mine were more like sorbets.  Super tangy, super refreshing…  I ordered Tamarind the first day but the second day I got a combo cup.

Every time we went, we walked over to the Plaza to sit on a shaded bench and eat our ice creams.  Unfortunately, the feeling was not too lasting because the heat would melt our ice creams really fast.  But they’re sooo good, it was all worth it.

If you’re ever in the Isabela area, stop by Rex Cream and have a delicious ice cream in my name…

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