Young Coconut and Basil Seeds

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While in most recipes basil seeds are simply an addition, there are
some desserts in which they are a major component, as in the following
recipe for a cool thirst-quencher featuring basil seeds and young
coconut or palm sugar seeds.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons basil seeds
125 g/4 oz/1/2 cup sugar
400 ml/14 fl oz can coconut milk
400 ml/14 fl oz can young coconut in syrup

Directions

Soak the basil seeds in plenty of cold water and leave for 10
minutes or until each seed develops a translucent coating. Dissolve
sugar in 1/2 cup water on gentle heat. Combine sugar syrup with coconut
milk. Brands vary, and if you know your brands well enough, use one
which is fairly light and smooth. If it turns out to be thick and
lumpy, warm it gently until smooth and dilute with a little water. Add
the drained basil seeds. Stir in syrup from can of young coconut.

Cut young coconut flesh into neat pieces or slender strips and stir
into the mixture. Serve at room temperature, or ladle it over a couple
of ice cubes in each bowl.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)