Be transported to warmer climes by revelling in a little fruity tropicana. Photo / Babiche Martens
Who could possibly resist the offer of a box full of exotic fruits from Thailand delivered to your door - not I!
I know I waft on about seasonal produce, buying locally, etc, but I must admit in the midst of relentless rain and soggy gardens, the thought
of the sweetest juicy mangoes and fresh lychees makes one feel the warmth of the sun.
The fruit arrived in conjunction with the promotion of the Thai Festival which runs this weekend, 26 and 27 July, at the Auckland Showgrounds. It's a celebration of food and dance, plus there's a market and cooking demos so it's well worth a nosy.
The fruit itself was so perfect and fresh it seemed a shame to do much more than enjoy au natural.
So the recipes today are of the simplest nature - accentuating the true flavours is the main idea. Not only did I have mangoes and lychees to play with but also mangosteen. Once opened they reveal sweet and succulent pieces of flesh, a similar size to mandarin segments, that are great spooned straight into the mouth but also go very well with both duck and pork. Combine with some crunchy snowpeas, a touch of chilli and freshly roasted salty cashews. The rich, almost caramel, flavour of the mangoes reminded me of pureed fruit poured over thick creamy yoghurt which seemed to be everywhere in Queensland and makes for a delicious breakfast. And then with the fresh lychees, gorgeously bursting with juice, I simply combined them with vanilla ice cream, toasted coconut and a rather generous splash of vodka!
CHEF'S TIP
You need a sharp knife to cut around the top of the mangosteen, removing the stem section then down one side. Peel back the thick skin and remove the creamy flesh.
