One Coconut, Two Ways

 

This is a perfect recipe for a small and delicate New Year gathering: the coconut egg custard for the appetizer and the Thai Boxer for the drink. Magnifique! 

I used an actual coconut for the recipe, which requires more work. But other inferior substitutions can be sought after.

Coconut Egg Custard

1.      Crust. Mix 1 cup of flour, half teaspoon of salt, half cup of butter chopped up in pieces. Add ¼ cup of water gradually while kneading. Set the dough in fridge and continue.

2.      Filling. Mix 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 3 spoons full of sugar, and a dash of vanilla. Simmer 1 cup of milk and add the egg mixture slowly.

3.      Roll out the crust, cut it into moderate size squares. Then make couple square “boats” with foil and shape the crust like the picture shown (If you have a cupcake pan, use it, it’ll save your life). Pour the mixture into the “boat” and top with coconut shredding. 

4.      Bake it in a 300 F oven until the fork/toothpick/chopstick/whatever-you-ca-find comes out clean and Voilà! You got your COCONUT EGG CUSTARD.

Thai Boxer

I made a virgin version of the drink, but a shot or two of gin can be added to enhance the holiday feeling.

1.      Shake a glass full of coconut juice (coconut milk can also be used) with plenty of lime juice. Add sugar if desired.

2.      Finely chop some basil leaves and/or mint leaves and mix with the coconut juice.

3.      Garnish with whatever you can find. Flower, cucumber, lime twist or popcorn, I don’t care.