These exotic products soon became the base of all my recipes

6 SERVINGS

 My biggest comfort food from the  pacific coast. The sweet / salty contrast and rich creamy coconut flavour is so characteristic of the Pacific that it is widely sought after by any tourist. 

Some local cooks add coca cola as their secret ingredient, but this is a standard, natural recipe using a hint of grated panela to accentuate the natural sweetness of the coconut. 

• 2 cups of white rice / Rinse the rice until water runs clear.

• 1 can of coconut milk (I used the milk made from 1 coconut, equivalent to 2½ cups of total liquid)  

• 1 ½ cups of water 

• Pinch of salt 

• 1 tablespoon ofanela / brown sugar 

Put the rice in a pot adding the rest of the ingredients. 

Bring to the boil over a medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed, cover and reduce the heat to low. 

Cook for about 20 minutes, then turn off the heat 

 Homemade hot sauce was always a welcome addition to the Prana dinner table. The only challenge was keeping up with the demand! You can make any variation you wish, but this is the tantalising original. 

•  4 tomatoes, seeds removed and finely diced

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated

• 2 spring onions finely diced 

• 1 small chilli, seeds removed and finely diced 

• 1 clove of garlic, finely diced 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

• ½ cup of vinegar 

• A handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely diced  

Place all the ingredients in a glass jar and mix well. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend the ingredients in a food processor.  

You can add a little passion to any recipe with this exotic, deliciously tart fruit. As well as adding it to desserts and breakfast dishes, I’ve used it as a sauce to accompany and marinate white fish, such as in my Coconut Crusted Fish recipe (p.142) Enjoy this versatile sauce with sweet and savoury dishes alike. 

• 2 cups of passion fruit juice (approx. 1kg of fruit)

• 1 cup of water 

• 2 cups of panela / brown sugar 

 To make the passion fruit juice, cut the passion fruit in half and scoop the insides out into a blender. Strain the mixture through a sieve, separating the liquid from the seeds. 

Make a simple syrup by adding 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a saucepan. Place it over a medium-low heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. 

Add the strained passion fruit juice to the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add warm to compliment your other recipes or allow it to cool if stored.