blossom green

INGREDIENTS

approximate amounts follow, do not substitute dried herbs for fresh for any of these ingredients!

1 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (don’t mess around with low fat coconut milk, its weird, whats the point?  Go for the fat! It’s a good fat, so don’t worry.)

2 heaping tsp’s of chopped ginger

6 large garlic cloves

1 whole bunch of cilantro

1 whole bunch of basil

1/2 of a medium to small jalapeno, seeded

Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

salt & unrefined, organic sugar to taste  (sugar is about 2 tbsp) 

Rinse all herbs, be careful to clean cilantro especially well.  Sometimes a lot of dirt is lingering in the rooty stems. 

Chop garlic and ginger just a bit, seed the jalapeno. Careful handling hot peppers.  The oils will stay on your fingers and knives in ways you never thought possible, this is why a lot of people will handle them with gloves.  Also, be aware that all peppers need to be tasted for heat.  You cannot tell how hot they are until they touch your tongue, so do try a piece by touching it gently to your tongue, not eating it.

Put all liquid ingredients into blender and pulse until blended.  Add some of the cilantro and basil and pulse until incorporated.  Keep slowly incorporating the herbs until all are used.  Season with the salt and sugar to taste.  This is up to your discression.  I make this vin sweet, and quite spicy.  I think the garlic and ginger should be very prominant flavors to it.  Heat can be adjusted by adding less jalapeno, or none at all. 

This is a vinaigrette so should not be thick as a regular pesto, it is also not a thick vinaigrette.  If it seems slightly thick, just add a bit more lime juice and very small amounts of rice wine vinegar (in one tsp sized additions) until it is less thick. 

All ingredients are approximations as mentioned. 

This dressing can be used in so many ways.  Change it up just a tad and it’s a pesto, a sauce, a marinade.  Play with it, make it spicy or not, sweet or savory. 

Enjoy!