I was seduced by a Nigella recipe, and now have bags of rice flour, desiccated coconut and panko breadcrumbs. What can I make with them?
Bridget, Hertfordshire
Oh, Bridget, we’ve all been seduced by Nigella and her recipes at some point in our lives – it’s only natural. I’m assuming we’re talking about her coconut shrimp, and if that’s the case, you could apply the same principle to other fish. Fillet of cod or salmon, say, would welcome a coconut crust, says Jun Tanaka, chef-patron of The Ninth in London. “Mix the coconut and panko in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the rice flour, salt and pepper.” Dip the fish in the flour, then in beaten egg and, finally, the panko mix. “Put on a tray, spray lightly with olive oil, and bake until golden.”
The dream, of course, would be a plethora of dishes that require all three ingredients, and Guardian columnist Tamal Ray gets close enough with his pati shapta. These Bengali pancakes, made using a batter of 120g rice flour, 30g sugar and 200ml whole milk, are filled with a coconut mix (100g desiccated coconut, two cardamom pods, 300ml whole milk and 80g dark sugar simmered to a “sticky paste”), then rolled.
