Tapado - coconut milk

Method

• Make the Coconut Milk : In a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil and add coconut. Cook coconut over moderately high heat 2 minutes and remove pan from heat. Let mixture stand, covered, 10 minutes. In a food processor or blender blend coconut mixture until very thick. In a fine sieve set over a bowl strain coconut mixture, pressing hard on solids. Working over bowl, squeeze small handfuls of solids to extract as much milk as possible. Coconut milk keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days or frozen in an airtight container 6 months.
• Peel and thinly slice the onion (1/2 cup).
• Core, seed, and cut the bell pepper into 1/4-inch strips.
• Cut the fish fillets into 2-inch pieces. Peel, rinse, and devein the shrimp.
• Heat the corn oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and red pepper and.
• saute over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute.
• Add the Coconut Milk, oregano, achiote, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring liquid to a boil and then simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the fish and the shrimp and simmer until seafood is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Peel and cut the banana into 1-inch slices. Cut the tomato into 1-inch dice.
• (3/4 cup) and add it to the soup along with the banana. Simmer the soup.
• until the banana and tomato are just cooked, 5 minutes. (You can cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.).
• To serve reheat the soup if made in advance. Stir in the cilantro.