Try these Recipes using subtropical plants obtainable from Subtropica
If there are any other recipes you might like to share please get in touch. We are always willing to try new ways to use our delicious fruit.
FINGER LIME AND KALE SALAD with Pomegranate seeds
This delicious Finger Lime and kale salad is the perfect addition to any summer meal. Packed with Finger Lime, kale, coconut and pomegranate seeds, it offers some serious nutritional punch. It is quick and easy to prepare, as well as being vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free. This salad is a winner with the whole family!
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tsp coconut oil
1 block firm tofu, sliced
½ pomegranate, seeded
½ avocado, sliced
4-6 kale leaves, removed from stem
½ lemon, juiced
1 handful basil
1 handful coconut chips, lightly toasted
Dressing
1 Finger Lime – split open and inner flesh scraped out
½ lime, juiced
½ orange, juiced
1 – 2 tsp agave or maple syrup
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Add tofu and set aside while preparing salad.
Divide kale between two medium size serving bowls, dress with just the lemon juice and massage until leaves begin to wilt and turn a vibrant green. Top with avocado, pomegranate seeds, basil and toasted coconut chips.
In a medium size fry pan, heat 1 tsp coconut oil. Remove tofu from marinade and pan fry on either side for 2-3 minutes. Once golden, add remaining dressing and heat for a few seconds.
Add tofu to salad and voila, you’re done!
Wicked Healthy Vegan Banana Blossom With Coconut And Chile
Excerpted from the book THE WICKED HEALTHY COOKBOOK
Serves 2 – 4
Ingredients
1 banana blossom (about ½ kg)
½ lemon
Sea salt
1½ tablespoons everyday olive oil
3 shallots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon julienned fresh ginger
1 Thai chile, sliced into paper-thin rounds
1 can (15 ounces) coconut milk or coconut cream
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 lime, halved
Assembly
3 to 4 cups cooked rice vermicelli noodles or rice
¼ English cucumber, cut into thin planks 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Handful chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onions, minced
Thinly sliced Thai chiles, optional (if you like it spicy)
Lime wedges, for squeezing
Method
1. TO PREP THE BANANA BLOSSOM: Rinse it well, and begin removing each layer of leaves, collecting the small banana blossoms within as you separate the leaves. Discard the tougher, outer layers of leaves. Continue removing leaves, retaining the tender inner leaves and small blossoms.
2. Stack about 5 tender banana leaves at a time and cut the stack crosswise into long thin strips. Fill a large bowl with water and a big squeeze of lemon. Drop the squeezed lemon half into the bowl. Place the strips in the lemon water. I usually discard the small blossoms, but if you don’t mind tedious work, remove the inedible stigma and small petal from each blossom as shown. For very tiny blossoms, simply pinch off and discard the tips. When all the small blossoms are cleaned, chop them and add to the lemon water. Add about 2 tablespoons salt and massage the leaves and blossoms under the water, pressing them between your fingers for a few minutes. This process removes bitterness, and the water should become discolored. Drain off the water, then fill the bowl with fresh water, lemon juice, and salt. Repeat massaging and pressing under the water for a few minutes more. Drain off the water and pat the leaves and blossoms dry. This unique ingredient is now ready to be cooked.
3. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil to evenly cover the bottom, then add the shallots and stir until they are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chile, and prepped banana blossom. Shake the pan to spread evenly and sauté until the blossom takes on a bit of color and softens, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring to avoid burning the garlic.
4. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the coconut milk, tamari, and ½ teaspoon salt. Continue stirring until the coconut milk reduces slightly in volume. (Stirring helps keep the coconut milk from separating.) Remove from the heat and squeeze in the juice from one lime half. Taste and add more tamari, salt, and/or lime juice as needed.
5. TO ASSEMBLE: Divide the noodles among 2 to 4 noodle bowls. Ladle in the coconut banana blossom mixture, and add cucumber, lettuce, cilantro, green onions, sliced chile (if using), and lime wedges for squeezing.
Cherimoya Daiquiri
4 ounces light rum
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ounce Curacao
3/4 cup chopped cherimoya
1 ounce lime juice
2 cups crushed ice
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Put all ingredients into blender container. Blend until thick, frosty and smooth. Makes 2 servings.
Pawpaw Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
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1 cup of fresh pawpaw
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¼ cup vegetable oil
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¼ cup plant based milk (almond, coconut, oat for example)
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1 cup granulated sugar
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2 cups flour
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1 tsp salt
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2 tsp baking soda
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½ pint (about 1 cup) of fresh blueberries, washed
Steps
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the pawpaw from the skin and seeds, and place one cup of the flesh in a large mixing bowl. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash until it is a smooth consistency. Add the oil, plant based milk and sugar and whisk together well.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Combine the dry ingredients to the wet, and combine. Gently fold in the blueberries.
3. Grease 12 muffins or use muffin liners. Divide the batter evenly, about ¼ cup of batter per muffin. Cook for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
Casimiroa Biscuits
250g Nuttelex or other vegetable spread
100ml icing sugar
80ml casimiroa pulp
3ml vanilla essence
1ml salt
700ml flour
120ml finely chopped macadamia nuts
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Cream butter and icing sugar.
Mix in fruit pulp, vanilla, and sifted dry ingredients; add nuts last.
Chill dough for 60 minutes, then shape 20mm diameter balls.
These are placed on an unprepared oven tray, and the balls are flattened with the bottom of a glass to about 8mm thickness.
To avoid sticking, first dip glass in icing sugar.
Bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes.
The biscuits may be frozen for storage.
KEI APPLE JAM
1kg kei apples [include some unripe ones]
1/2 cup water
1kg white sugar
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Wash fruit and put in a large saucepan with the water.
Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar and keep stirring.
When all sugar is dissolved and the fruit is very soft, you can push the whole lot through a coarse sieve to remove the pips and skins.
Boil until a little bit will set when put on a saucer.
Bottle in sterilised jars while still hot.
Tamarillo and Vietnamese mint sauce
Use two tamarillos per person.
Scoop them into a small saucepan, with a dessertspoon of white sugar, a dessertspoon of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, and a dessertspoon of chopped Vietnamese mint.
Bring to a simmer, add chilli (you can use the Hot Perennial Pepper) to taste, and keep at a simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
Totally yummo!
Tamarillo Chutney
2 dozen Tamarillos {Tree Tomatoes}
1lb Apples
1lb Onions
1 level tablespoon Salt
1/2 oz Allspice
2lb Brown Sugar
600ml vinegar
Dash of Cayenne - Remember the wisdom of El Grande -More is better !!!
Pour boiling water over Tamarillos to remove skin. Cut up the Onions, Apples and tamarillos finely. Add all other ingredients. Place in pan, bring to boil and continue boiling for 2 hours. Place in sterilized glass jars. Seal when cold.
Tropical Apricot Chutney
1kg tropical apricots
350g onions
400g brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp curry powder
2cups vinegar
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Chop the apricots and onions. Combine all ingredients and boil on medium heat for an hour, stirring often.
Pour into clean hot jars and seal.
Tropical Apricot and Apple Jelly
Give your apple jelly a real kick!
1/2 kg apples
1/2 kg tropical apricots [include some unripe ones]
water
1kg white sugar [approx]
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Wash tropical apricots, peel and chop apples,and put in a large saucepan with enough water to cover fruit.
Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally. Boil till fruit is very soft and all juice is extracted.
Pour into a jelly bag [muslin or cotton] and hang overnight. Do NOT squeeze or it'll go cloudy.
Measure the resulting liquid, and add the same volume of sugar.
Bring to the boil, stirring to prevent sticking.
Boil until a little bit will set when put on a saucer.
Bottle in sterilised jars while still hot.