Let’s talk about coconut
Coconut is the edible fruit of the coconut palm which are native to Micronesia and can be found in most regions that border the Pacific Ocean. In Australia, coconuts grow in far north Queensland...
Coconut is the edible fruit of the coconut palm, which is native to Micronesia and can be found in most regions that border the Pacific Ocean. In Australia, coconuts grow in far north Queensland.
A coconut direct from a tree will be covered in a hard green layer, and below that is the brown husk. The liquid in the fruit (at the immature stage) can be consumed as coconut water or juice and is a refreshing drink. The flesh at this stage is jelly-like. The sloshing liquid in a nut is a good indicator of freshness.
The white flesh or meat from the nut is high in fat and is eaten fresh or dried. The flesh of the mature nut can be processed to form coconut milk, cream and oil. Milk and cream are extracted from the grated flesh of the mature nut.
Coconut oil, used in cooking, is extracted from dried coconut meat, also known as copra. It is high in saturated fat and therefore not recommended for daily consumption.
Dried coconut flesh is ground to make coconut flour, a useful gluten-free alternative to traditional white flour.
Australian cookbook author Charmaine Solomon says that good quality coconut milk “smooths out a fiery sauce and gives richness to many curries”.
If you find yourself without a can of coconut milk you can extract your own in the following way:
Using fresh coconut
Place the grated flesh of one coconut in a bowl of hot water or milk and squeeze firmly. Alternatively, use a blender. The first extraction will be the richer cream and the second extraction the thinner milk.
Using dried coconut
Soak 2 cups of desiccated coconut in 2½ cups hot water or milk and allow to cool before blending at high speed. Strain, pressing out the liquid up to 3 times.
The information above is sourced from Charmaine Solomon’s Encyclopedia of Asian Food.
Coconut products can be purchased in supermarkets. Dried coconut (fine or desiccated, shredded or flaked) and coconut flour can be purchased from the bulk bins at Flame Tree Co-op. You can also find fresh coconuts in some fruit and veg stores and Asian supermarkets.
