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Corn and Squash Simmered in Coconut Milk withThai Basil

A simmered dish of corn, zucchini, tofu, and Thai basil in coconut milk, served over rice.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 14 ingredients
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Why it works: Coriander and coconut match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,039 recipes. Both carry decanal, which smells soap, orange peel. The science ↓

Corn and Squash Simmered in Coconut Milk withThai Basil

Ingredients

Directions

Brown the tofu

  1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium‑high heat.

  2. When hot, add tofu and zucchini and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

  3. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally to brown tofu on all sides.

Prepare the corn and herbs

  1. Meanwhile, slice corn kernels off cob.

  2. Using opposite knife edge, press out milk.

  3. Set aside kernels on cutting board.

  4. Finely mince jalapeño with fresh coriander and Thai basil.

Make the coconut milk sauce

  1. Add scallions, jalapeño‑herb mixture and corn to pan.

  2. Pour 1 cup coconut milk into pan.

  3. Rinse out cup with 1/3 cup water and stir into pan.

  4. Stir in soy sauce, an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  5. Cook until corn is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

  6. Adjust seasonings.

  7. Serve over rice garnished with additional herbs.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

852Calories
23 gProtein
47 gFat
92 gCarbs

Counts 12 of 13 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 12 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Coconut1/2 cup shredded (40g)283
Rice1 cup cooked (158g) white206
Peanut Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Corn1/2 cup kernels (82g)77
Tofu100g firm76
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Cucumber1/2 cup sliced (52g)16
Mushroom1/2 cup sliced (35g)15
Soy Sauce1 tbsp (15ml)9
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Basil5 leaves fresh (2.5g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Coriandernot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Coriander + coconuttop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,039 recipes

    Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

  2. Corn + coconuttop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together306 recipes

    Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

  3. Coriander + peppertop 6% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,949 recipes

    Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).

  4. Tofu + coconuttop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together91 recipes

    Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).

  5. Corn + coriandertop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,081 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Tofu
Firm cubes brown on the hot pan, developing a savoury crust and holding their shape in the sauce.
Coconut milk
Adds richness and body, making the sauce creamy and rounding the heat from the chile.
Sweet corn
Its natural sugars add sweetness, and the milk pressed from the cob thickens the sauce.
Zucchini
Softens in the pan and adds moisture and mild, tender bulk to the dish.
Basmati rice
Plain starch that soaks up the sauce and balances the richness of the coconut milk.

The step that matters

Browning the tofu. Tofu releases water and sticks if the pan is crowded or not hot enough. Shaking the pan and giving the cubes space lets surfaces dry and brown, which gives flavour and texture rather than a soft, steamed result.

Swap the thai basil

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (peanut oil, tofu, corn, coriander, pepper, coconut, milk):

  1. Turmericfits better
  2. Gingerfits better
  3. Cuminfits better
  4. Thai basilthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against peanut oil, tofu, corn, coriander, pepper, coconut, milk. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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