By Serene Tharian

Spicy Curry Coconut Milk Dressing

This summer has been really hot, and it really is too hot to eat anything but cold refreshing salads. Salad recipes are perfect for lunches, summer cookouts, and dinner parties. And with this spicy curry flavoured coconut milk dressing, the salad is taken to a totally different level. And if salads are the way to go this summer, this dressing will ensure a good calorie intake from the fat content in the coconut milk. This dressing is spicy but the coconut milk tempers it down. Remove the seeds from the chillies if you do not want it too spicy

5 green or red chillies, sliced in half

8 scallions, mostly the white part in small pieces

1/2 medium onion, in small pieces

3 medium cloves garlic, in small pieces

1 can full-fat coconut milk, thick

1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional) or salt to taste

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

10 large mint leaves, slivered fine

1 teaspoon honey, or agave syrup or sugar or coconut sugar

Slice the chillies lengthwise, and remove the seeds if you want to temper the heat. On a hot grill or skillet roast the chilli halves until blistered on all sides. Or you can hold them over an open flame to roast them till blistered. Put to one side

Roast the curry powder in a dry pan till aromatic on very low heat. It should not burn. Keep aside

Mince the roasted chillies, scallions, onion and garlic in a grinder. Keep it coarse.

Pour the coconut milk into a bowl or beaker, add the fish sauce (optional or salt), the curry powder and lemon juice. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice and/or vegan fish sauce and salt – until it is to your liking. Stir in the minced mixture and the sweetener of choice. Stir in the mint. If not using fish sauce, add salt to taste.

Keeps refrigerated for up to a week in a dry mason jar. Stir before use.

Use on any cold salad.

Use as chutney for kebabs or cutlets.

Use instead of mayo or ketchup in toasted sandwiches.

If you wish to make this dressing thicker use coconut powder instead of the canned version. dissolve the powdered coconut in water to get the required thickness.

Serene hosts The Best Exotic Kerala Kitchen Dinner Clubs in Cyprus. Bookings can be made through her Instagram page or by calling her on 99 222462