Coconut Red Curry Pearls with "Tofu62"

Creator: Carolyn Nugent, IL
Category: Sweet
Servings: 4
Adventure Ingredients: Basil (Thai), Coriander, Coconut milk, Kaffir lime leaf, Mango, Tapioca pearls, Cacao nibs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon tapioca pearls (small)
• 5 cups bottled water
• 1 teaspoon microplaned fresh ginger
• 6, 1/4-inch thick rounds of galangal
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white-part only, cut into quarters
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
• peeled lime zest from half a lime, twisted
• 6 large leaves thai basil
• 16 leaves fresh coriander (leave 4 whole, cut the rest in half)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
• 1/2 cup sugar, white
• 2.25 oz Scharffen Berger 62% Chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons Scharffen Berger cocoa nibs
• 1 cup Very Vanilla Silk soy milk
• 3/8 teaspoon agar agar
• 24, 1/2-inch cubes mango
• 16, 3/4-inch cubes pineapple
• 2 canned lychees, cut in eighths
• 4 teaspoon roasted peanuts, chopped

UTENSILS AND TOOLS

• 5 Medium Bowls (1 filled with ice)
• 2 Strainers
• 1 Large Pot
• 2 Small Pots
• 1 Cutting Board
• 1 Knife
• 4 Rubber Spatulas
• 1 Microplane
• 1 peeler
• 1 pair scissors
• 1 whisk
• 1 20cm x 20cm square Cheesecloth
• 1 8-inch piece Butcher's Twine, or similar string
• 1 Small Rectangle or Square Tupperware

PREPARATION

For Red Curry Coconut Pearls:

Place dry tapioca pearls in medium bowl. Pour 2.5 cups bottled water over pearls. Place bowl in refrigerator and soak pearls overnight, or 12 hours. The next day, gently pour pearl mixture into strainer, taking care not to crush rehydrated pearls. Discard water. Very gently rinse pearls under cold running water to remove excess starch for 2 minutes. Keep pearls in strainer until ready to use.

In 20cm x 20cm square of cheesecloth, place microplaned fresh ginger, rounds of galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf halves, twisted lime zest, 2 large leaves Thai basil, and 4 leaves fresh coriander. Bring corners of cheesecloth square up to create a pouch. Tie twine tightly around pouch, being sure that all sides are tied closed, so nothing escapes during cooking. Trim excess string and cheesecloth, discard scraps. In small pot, combine 1/4 cup coconut milk with red curry paste. Heat this over medium heat and stir with a rubber spatula until combined and homogeneous. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Combine and reserve.

In large pot, combine 2.5 cups bottled water, 1 cup sugar and cheesecloth pouch of Thai aromatic ingredients. Bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to lowest setting, carefully add soaked tapioca pearls, all at once. With rubber spatula, gently stir pearls in liquid until transparent, about 4 minutes. Pour all contents of pot into a medium bowl, and set over medium bowl with ice, to rapidly chill mixture. Gently stir in warmed coconut curry mixture. Chill over icebath and keep cold in refrigerator, covered, until ready to use.

For "Tofu62":

Place chopped 62% chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small pot combine cocoa nibs and Very Vanilla Silk Soy Milk. Add agar agar, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Let boil gently for 1 minute, while gently whisking. Pour mixture through strainer, directly onto chocolate. Beginning in the middle of the bowl, gently stir the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. As the mixture comes together, it will begin to look shiny and homogeneous. Continue to stir mixture making your way to the outside of the mixture, until all is shiny and homogeneous. Once the mixture is emulsified, pour into a small rectangular or square Tupperware and place in refrigerator until chilled and firm, about 30 minutes. Once the Tofu62 is chilled and firm, flip out from Tupperware onto cutting board and cut into 20, 3/4-inch cubes. Reserve Tofu62 in refrigerator until ready to use.

PRESENTATION

Plate Presentation:

In a medium bowl, combine and very gently fold together 2 heaping cups of Coconut Red Curry Pearls (being careful to leave pouch of Thai aromatic ingredients in original bowl) with 12 cubes mango, 8 cubes pineapple, 8 lychee pieces with a rubber spatula. Tear 2 leaves of Thai Basil into small pieces and add. Add 12 coriander leaf halves. Fold gently until combined. In 4 beautiful small/medium serving bowls, equally distribute Red Curry Pearls . Garnish each bowl of Pearls equally with remaining fruit and herbs in a random pattern. Gently, randomly place 5 Tofu62 cubes on top of each dessert. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of crushed roasted peanuts on each dessert for the final garnish. Serve immediately.