Coconut in and as a food

A 16th century explorer to India appreciated the virtues of coconuts when he wrote "as we have bread, wine, oil and vinegar, so in that country they extract all these things from this one tree." Coconut is indeed a key ingredient in South Asian cuisine, particularly in the south of India. From sweets and syrups to curries and chutneys, the fruits and other parts are eaten.

Coconuts

Coconut milk and cream is made by pouring boiling water over freshly grated meat and squeezing out the liquid.

 

It can be diluted with water to create different thicknesses for sweet and savoury dishes and baked products. It is particularly popular in South India and gives a unique and creamy texture to rice, chutneys and curries. Coconut milk and cream is sold in powdered and canned forms. In British shops it's most likely to be found in cans.

Desiccated coconut is the washed, steamed, shredded and dried meat used in sweets, baking, savoury dishes and as snack food. The oil is used for cooking in India, and to make margarine, ice creams and sweets. Oil can be processed using fresh coconut or more often, by pressing dried coconut meat, known as copra. Ball copra is an Indian speciality produced by slow drying, de-husking and shelling of the whole nut. It is used to prepare sweets offered during religious and cultural events. Coconut water from the seed cavity is sweet, and is now commercially extracted and preserved as a drink. 

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