Thai dessert

I decided I liked the sound of Coconut Icecream with cardamom biscuits. The icecream recipe is most intriguing because it uses basil seeds. (Otherwise known as Sabja, Subja, Tukmaria, Takmaria, this ingredient is used in traditional Indian cooking and helps the body to cool).
I found them at Farro Fresh, but I think a garden centre would have them too.

the recipe calls for you to soak some seeds in water which the woman at Farro and I agreed sounded most odd, but in the interests of learning I went along with it.....

Dry seeds into a dish

Almost imediately they start to swell and form a gelatinous skin....

and at this stage they can go into the dish. They look a little bit like fish eggs...

Coconut and Basil Seed Icecream

2 and 1/2 cups coconut milk

1 and 1/4 cups cream

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp sweet basil seeds

Bring the coconut milk, cream and sugar to the boil. Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit. In a separate bowl beat the eggs well. Gradually add the milk and cream mixture into the eggs - too fast, and the eggs will cook. Let it cool completely and then refrigerate to chill.

Pour the cold mixture into a small loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and remove any air between the film and the surface. Freeze for 2-3 hours, until it starts to get firm. Remove from the freezer and beat or blend until smooth. Put it back in the pan. Separately, put 1/2 tbsp sweet basil seeds into 1/2 cup water. Give them 5  minutes to expand. Gently fold the seeds into the ice cream and put back in the freezer with the plastic covering. Freeze several hours.

We served this with Cardamom flavoured biscuits (recipe coming) and Peach and Mango coulis.