Coconut/3 recipes

Thai mushroom satay with Chinese mushrooms spiral-cut onto skewers, marinated in lemongrass and galangal, grilled and served with a rich coconut peanut sauce.

Masala Vangi: baby eggplants stuffed with toasted coconut, coriander, and cayenne, then simmered and drizzled with tangy ginger-tamarind sauce. A vegetarian Indian classic.

Southern Japanese fruitcake: a 4-layer cake alternating plain butter cake with spiced pecan-and-raisin layers, bound by a thick lemon-coconut filling. A vintage Christmas dessert from the American South with a name that has nothing to do with Japan.

Futari: an East African pumpkin and sweet potato stew simmered in coconut milk with cinnamon and cloves. A vegan side dish from Tanzania and Kenya, naturally gluten-free.

No-bake, 3-layer, chocolate covered bars. Nanaimo bars are a traditional Canadian dessert, though nobody is certain where the tradition came from.

Don't let the name fool you, because these tasty snacks are made with oats, walnuts and sweetened coconut.

One of the best carrot cakes I've ever had with a decadent cream cheese frosting.

Thai tom kha gai: creamy coconut chicken soup fragrant with galangal, lemongrass, bergamot leaves, and fresh chilies. Tangy, rich, and aromatic in every spoonful.

Chewy, loaded drop cookies hiding shredded zucchini inside a brown sugar batter packed with oats, coconut, raisins, nuts, and butterscotch chips. The zucchini keeps them soft and moist while the mix-ins bring all the crunch and sweetness.

Buttery drop cookies loaded with oats, vanilla milk chips, flaked coconut, and macadamia nuts. Sour cream keeps them soft and chewy. Makes 5 dozen for the holiday cookie swap.

Layered chocolate ripple cake baked in a clay pot with a coconut cream cheese swirl through the center and a milk chocolate cream cheese frosting on top. Lightened with egg whites and nonfat cream cheese.

Chicken korma marinated in yogurt with freshly ground spices, simmered with a poppy seed-cashew-almond paste, coconut, and green chilies. A rich South Indian curry.

Cranberry pear crisp with a brown rice base topped with oats, pecans, and coconut. A unique fall dessert with tart cranberries and sweet pears.

Southern-style bundt cake with buttermilk tang and coconut-rum flavor. The dense, buttery crumb stays moist for days. Perfect for family reunions and Sunday suppers.

Crunchy microwave snack mix loaded with honey-cinnamon cereal, peanuts, banana chips, popcorn, coconut, and raisins. Sweet, salty, and ready in minutes.

German chocolate upside-down surprise cake: a German chocolate cake with a cream cheese filling that bakes into the middle and a pecan-coconut top when flipped.