Recipe: Thai green coconut curry

Bring restaurant-style Thai food to your home with this quick and easy recipe for everyone’s favourite green coconut curry. It is fragrant, creamy and rich in the sweet goodness of coconuts and chicken.



Method

•  Add yogurt, coriander, mint leaves, green chillies, garlic cloves, cumin powder and dried coconut powder in a blender and blitz into a smooth paste.

•  In a pan, heat oil and add ginger garlic paste to it. Fry the chicken, adding salt according to taste.

•  Pour in the blended green mixture into the pan and cook until the chicken is tender.

•  Serve with boiled rice or bread. Your delicious Thai delicacy is now ready.

Benefits of coconut consumption



Coconut is one of the most beneficial fruits on the planet. There are several advantages of consuming coconut in every form, be it raw coconut milk. In fact, the fruit is so beneficial that residents of the Pacific islands regard palm trees (which bears coconuts) as ‘Trees of Life.’ Some major benefits include:

•  Coconut is full of minerals, vitamins and amino acids that kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. As a result, coconut helps prevent illnesses such like influenza, herpes, bronchitis and urinary tract infection.

•  Raw coconut helps develop strong bones and teeth.

•  The fruit speeds up metabolism and provides an immediate source of energy. Faster metabolism prevents obesity and the instant boost of energy also results in an improved physical and athletic performance.

•  Coconut reduces the risk of diabetes as it assists in the release of stress from the pancreas and enzymes in the body. It also reduces sweet cravings owing to the healthy fat in coconut that slows down spikes in blood sugar.

•  Coconut-eaters are protected against heart diseases as the fruit provides good fat and lowers the ratio between good and bad cholesterol. This also prevents brain disorders such as Alzheimers.

Use coconut oil outside the kitchen



•  Make a homemade moisturiser by mixing coconut oil with baking soda and rubbing it onto your skin in circular motion. The solution works as a great exfoliant and hydrates the skin. You may also use the solution on your teeth for a quick, pearly-white effect.

•  Coconut oil mixed with honey is a cheap and effective source of fatty acids which condition and soften the hair from the first wash. Apply the mixture onto your hair and let it sit for about 40 minutes before rinsing it out with warm water.

•  Mix some tea tree oil with coconut oil for soft and deodorised feet without any cracks or calluses. Gently massage the oil into the soles of your feet at night and slip on a pair of socks to lock in the moisture. This can also help prevent Athlete’s Foot, a contagious infection which causes fungus around the toes.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, October 19^th, 2014.