Roughly chop the cilantro and blend both leaves and stems with the coconut, pistachios, garlic, hot pepper (if using), and lemon juice. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and blend until smooth. Add the rest, if desired. Taste and add salt (or more garlic, or more acid) until satisfied. If desired, thin the pesto with water to make it spreadable.
Nut-free adaptation: The pistachios can be left out. They make this a little nuttier and more interesting in texture, but the pesto is still very good without them. You can also substitute another nut, or seeds such as pumpkin (pepitas) or sunflower.
Pesto is by its nature a this-and-that recipe; your results will vary by a mile from mine depending on your herbs, your taste for salt, and your opinion on acid. This is an unusual pesto, so I strongly suggest adding only a little salt and lemon juice, or a quarter of a pepper, and tasting, before adding the rest. Keep tweaking until you love it!
Serve on roasted sweet potatoes, with samosas, with crackers, in pasta...
Recipe credit: thekitchn.com
Ingredients
Directions
Roughly chop the cilantro and blend both leaves and stems with the coconut, pistachios, garlic, hot pepper (if using), and lemon juice. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and blend until smooth. Add the rest, if desired. Taste and add salt (or more garlic, or more acid) until satisfied. If desired, thin the pesto with water to make it spreadable.
Nut-free adaptation: The pistachios can be left out. They make this a little nuttier and more interesting in texture, but the pesto is still very good without them. You can also substitute another nut, or seeds such as pumpkin (pepitas) or sunflower.
Pesto is by its nature a this-and-that recipe; your results will vary by a mile from mine depending on your herbs, your taste for salt, and your opinion on acid. This is an unusual pesto, so I strongly suggest adding only a little salt and lemon juice, or a quarter of a pepper, and tasting, before adding the rest. Keep tweaking until you love it!
Serve on roasted sweet potatoes, with samosas, with crackers, in pasta...
Recipe credit: thekitchn.com