Trials and Tribulations of Vegan Coconut, Ginger, Lemon Grass Tapioca Pudding

I love to play with my food!


Recently I have fallen in love with vegan cooking and have had a ton of fun both converting old recipes and finding new recipes.

This is a recipe I have used for years, but when I converted it to a vegan recipe I turned out to be quite a challenge. I first thought that I could just convert the milk in the recipe to coconut milk, but it could never be that easy. When I did so the color turned gray and very unappealing. Then I tried coconut water, still no good. Finally a trip to my local Asian market (Ranch 99) gave me the answer I was looking for. Creamed Coconut!!

What you might as is creamed coconut, not to be confused with coconut cream, Creamed Coconut or known as Coconut Concentrate is the unsweetened dehydrated fresh meat of a mature fruit of coconut ground to a semi-solid white creamy paste. It is shelf stable! Creamed coconut (or other wise n=known as Coconut Concentrate) is creamy white color and tastes rich, creamy and mildly sweet with the essence of coconut.
Creamed Coconut can be used as ingredient for food and beverages that require coconut flavor. Such as sauces, soups, curries, cake, toppings, desserts, and so much more!

Here are the recipes for my Ginger, Lemon Grass, Coconut Tapioca; both the Vegan and original recipe. The vegan recipe will be featured in my Thai Vegan hands-on cooking class at Sea Rocket Bistro.

Which do you like better?

Coconut, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Tapioca ( Vegan)
Serves 6

2 (2 inch piece) Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp Lime zest
4 stalks Lemongrass, tops removed, smashed and roughly chopped
2 ½ + 1 ½ cups Water
1 (50 gram) package Creamed coconut
½ cup Small pearl tapioca* (not quick-cooking)

1 cup (or as needed) Coconut milk
3 tbsp Sugar

1 Mango, peeled, cut into cubes

Combine ginger, lime zest, and lemongrass in a sauce pot add 2 ½ cups water. Bring to boil, boiling for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let steep uncovered 5 minutes.
Pour mixture into strainer and press on solids to release flavored liquid. Discard solids in strainer.
In a separate sauce pot, bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil and add creamed coconut. Stir to dissolve creamed coconut in water (a few small lumps is ok)
Add flavored liquid into a sauce pan along with tapioca, stir to combine and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until pudding thicken.
Once liquid has been absorbed add additional water as needed (just enough to thin out tapioca to prevent scorching or burning), stirring constantly.
Continue to add additional water and cook till tapioca is cooked through, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup coconut milk and sugar. Cook till sugar is dissolved. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Add additional coconut milk to taste, more coconut milk will make for a thinner creamer pudding.
Serve layered with mango cubes.

Ginger and Lemon Grass Tapioca (Original)
Serves 6

2 (2 inch piece) Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp Lime zest
4 stalks Lemongrass, tops removed, smashed and roughly chopped
2 ½ cups Water

2 cups Whole milk
½ cup Sugar
½ cup Small pearl tapioca* (not quick-cooking)
1 (14-ounce) can Coconut milk

1 Mango, peeled, cut into cubes

Combine ginger, lime zest, and lemongrass in a sauce pot add 2 ½ cups water. Bring to boil, boiling for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let steep uncovered 5 minutes.
Pour mixture into strainer and press on solids to release flavored liquid. Discard solids in strainer.
Add flavored liquid and milk into a sauce pan along with tapioca, stir to combine and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until pudding thicken.
Once liquid has been absorbed add additional water as needed (just enough to thin out tapioca to prevent scorching or burning), stirring constantly.
Continue to add additional water and cook till tapioca is cooked through, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and sugar. Cook till sugar is dissolved. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Serve layered with mango cubes.