Black sticky rice with caramelised coconut and mango is our favourite dessert, but I hear it is most often eaten at breakfast in Thailand.

I could definitely get on board with that!

On our recent visit to Thailand, H and I ate this everyday – sometimes twice a day!  It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty and it’s so easy to make at home.

I have tried to make healthier versions in the past using maple syrup and sugar-free sweeteners but it’s just not the same, so I have stuck to tradition and used palm sugar.

To make you simply cook your rice on the stove in water and coconut cream, once cooked add extra coconut cream and palm sugar and you are done!  The salty coconut cream balances the sweetness of the rice and the caramelised coconut – so good.

• 1 cup black sticky rice (black glutinous rice)
• 400 ml can coconut cream
• 180 grams palm sugar ,grated
• 1 cup shredded coconut or coconut flakes
• 1 mango ,sliced to serve

1. Rinse the black rice well and add to a large saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 a cup of coconut cream and 1/4 tsp salt. 

   Bring to the boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer for 45 minutes.  Stirring often ensure it doesn’t stick.

2. Once tender, remove from the heat, add another 1/2 cup of coconut cream and half the palm sugar. Set aside. 

1. Add the remaining can of coconut cream to a small saucepan with a 1/4 tsp salt and warm gently. Set aside.

1. Add the remaining palm sugar to a saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and mix until the sugar has dissolved and bring to the boil. 

   Add coconut and stir until coated and the liquid has mostly absorbed. Set aside. 

1. Add black sticky rice to small bowls and top with salty coconut cream, caramelised coconut and sliced mango

Soaking the rice the night before or for a few hours before will reduce the cooking time. 

The black sticky rice also freezes well if you would like to double the recipe. 

Berry bliss balls are a handy little snack to have in the freezer.  They are raw and made with all good things: berries, coconut, oats, chia seeds and couple of dates for sweetness – that’s it!

 They require no cooking, just pulse in a food processor and roll into balls – get the kids to help…

Looking for other bliss ball recipes? Try these: macadamia bonbons, raw halva truffles, bliss balls with a cocoa coating

• 3/4 cup frozen mixed berries,
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 3/4 cup traditional oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 dates

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is well combined.  

2. Roll tablespoon sized portions of the mixture in your hands.  Store in the freezer.

I allowed my berries to sit on the bench for 5 minutes only.  You want them still partially frozen or the mixture will turn to mush.  

If the mixture is too dry add a teaspoon of either, coconut oil, honey/maple or water until you can form a ball.

These bliss balls are not super sweet.  Add extra dates or honey/maple if you prefer. 

If you make my berry bliss balls, be sure to take a picture and upload to Instagram with the hashtag #littlebigh so I can check out your creation. xx

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• 200 g chicken breast or thigh cut into bite-sized pieces (or chop extra fine for baby)
• 2 teaspoons sake (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce (salt reduced)
• 1 leek , finely sliced
• 1 carrot , sliced or finely chopped for baby
• A handful of spinach , finely chopped
• A handful of arame – Japanese sea vegetable (you could substitute with a tablespoon of dashi granules if you are unable to find arame. If using dashi add to custard mixture below)

For the Custard

• 2 1/2 cups (625ml) water
• 1 tablespoon Japanese Soy Sauce
• 4 eggs

1. Place chicken pieces in 4 heatproof bowls. Combine sake and soy and divide between each bowl
2. Divide the vegetables between the 4 bowls

To make the custard

1. Combine eggs, water and soy in a jug, pour custard into the 4 bowls
2. (if using dash granules dissolve in a little boiling water and add the custard mixture, strain equal amounts into the 4 bowls)
3. Cover bowls with foil, place then in a steamer and cook on high for 30 minutes

Depending on your bowl size you may want 6 bowls to allow the chicken and vegetables to come only half way up the bowl – this will allows enough of the custard mixture in each bowl.

Adapted from The essential asian cookbook

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• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pandan paste
• *optional – icing sugar to resemble snow – sprinkled on top

1. Pre-heat oven to 100 degrees C (210 degrees F). Add the egg whites to a clean dry bowl. Whisk until soft peaks have formed. Slowly add the caster sugar and continue whisking for about 10 minutes or until the meringue looks super glossy and is no longer gritty from the sugar. Add vinegar and whisk to combine. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the pandan paste and fold through. You don’t want it too green!
2. Add a large star tip to your pipping bag. To create a swirl in the meringue, like you can in my pictures. Add a drop or two of the pandan paste to the inside of your pipping bag and then add the meringue.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper. I pipped a circle and then a blob of meringue on top. To create a tree like shape I then pipped around the blob in an upward motion to create a tree like shape.
4. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes for the meringue to be crispy on the outside and slightly chewy/marshmallow on the inside. If you like your meringue to be completely set and crispy you will need to bake them for an extra 30min to an hour. Allow to cool completely
5. Sprinkle lightly with icing sugar and serve

Makes 10 – 12 depending on how big you make them. I made mine about 6 cm (2 1/2 inches) wide.Make up to two days ahead and store in an airtight container.

The gold flecks you see on my trees are little edible stars. Used for decorating cupcakes.

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• 1.8 kg free-range chicken
• 2 tablespoons sage; finely chopped
• 1 lemon; halved
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 50 grams butter; softened + 10-20 grams extra to rub on flesh
• salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the breast so you have a pocket to add your herb butter.
2. Combine the 50 grams of butter with the chopped sage place the entire amount under the skin. Use you hands to spread it around fairly evenly. Place the chopped lemon inside the chicken and tie the legs together with string. Rub the extra softened butter on the skin and sprinkle generously with salt.
3. Place into a large baking dish and add the chicken stock to the dish. Cook for an hour and a half.
4. Allow to rest for 15 minutes or so and serve

I served the chicken with roasted sweet potato, carrots, parsnips and eggplants. Toss in olive oil and roast when there is about 40 minutes remaining.

• 1 bunch of baby coloured carrots
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Wash and peel the carrots and place on the baking tray
3. Whisk together the miso, maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and oil.
4. Coat the carrots well and cook for 30 to 40 minutes – turning periodically until tender and caramelised

Use any veggies you have handy. Cut into chunks and toss in the mixture and bake as above.

Adapted from Food 52

• 1 salmon fillet – skin off & bones removed (approximately 150 g)
• 1 large tomato
• 1 carrot
• 3 stalks rainbow chard
• parsley
• 1 lemon
• 4 potatoes
• 2 tbls creme fraise
• butter/milk
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F)
2. Peel and chop the potatoes; cook on the stove top in boiling water until tender. Once cooked, mash or put through a potato ricer and add a tablespoon or two of butter and a splash of milk. Mix & set aside.
3. Blanch the rainbow chard in boiling water and finely chop along with the tomato, parsley and salmon. Grate the carrot and combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add the juice of half a lemon along with the zest, the creme fraise & the nutmeg.
4. Add filling to 6 ramekins and top with the potato prepared earlier
5. Cook for 40 minutes, serve warm

Makes approximately 6, 100ml individual pies
Suitable to freeze

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• 4 peaches
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup , honey or your sweetener of choice
• 1 cup labneh – store bought is fine otherwise see my homemade recipe here
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water combined with 1 tablespoon maple – for a quick glaze

For the raw base

• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5 – 6 dried figs
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbls water * only if mixture isn’t coming together

For the raw base

1. Add the hazelnuts, coconut oil, 3 figs and salt to a food processor and pulse. Add extra figs one at a time until the mixture starts getting stuck on your food processor and you can form a ball. If it is still too dry add a little of the water teaspoon at a time.
2. Divide into 4 and press into 4 tart cases. Freeze until you’re ready to fill them.

For the toppings

1. Combine labneh and sweetener and adjust to suit your taste. Set aside.
2. Slice flesh from around the peach and then slice thinly.

Too assemble

1. Take tarts from freezer and bang them on the bench (hard) to get them out. Then fill with labneh and top with peaches. Make a little glaze of maple and orange blossom water to brush over the top. Serve immediately

Makes 4 tarts using approx 9cm (4 inch) tart cases.
Use 1 peach per tart

• 100 grams of red lentils
• 1/2 chicken breast
• 1/4 cup leek
• 2 tomatos
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (salt reduced)
• 1 tbls olive oil

1. In a saucepan cook the lentils as per the packet instructions (for 100grams add approx 3/4 cup of water and simmer until soft)
2. Dice the vegetables and chicken
3. Add olive oil and leek to a frying pan, cook until tender
4. Add tomato and broccoli, stock & cooked lentils. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Server as is or add to a blender and pulse till the desired consistency is reached.

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• 2 cups pure cream – minimum 35% milk fat (heavy cream for my US friends)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1. Add the cream to a saucepan and slowly bring the temperature up to 82 degrees C (180 degrees F). (I used a candy thermometer) Simmer at this temperature for 3 minutes, giving an occasional stir
2. Add the lemon juice, stir and simmer for a further 3 minutes at 82 degrees C (180 degrees F).
3. Leave to cool for about 45 minutes. Sit a fine strainer over a bowl and cover with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Pour the mixture in and refrigerate over night. It will be ready to use in the morning

A lot of recipes on the web call for heavy cream, which in Australia is most similar to pure cream. Don’t use thickened cream as it often contains a thickener such as gelatine. Pure cream works beautifully.