Coconut

Functional Food from The Tree of Life!

Aromatic, nutritionally-packed and tasty too!

Fresh coconut Drops | Fresh Coconut Pudding | Fresh Coconut Milk | Fresh Coconut & Lentil Soup | Crispy Coconut Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | Crispy Coconut Prawns with Mango Dipping Sauce | Fresh Papaya & Coconut Jam | Square Coconut Sweets (Coconut Burfi) | Cherry & Coconut Muffins | Warm Nutty Soother | Fresh Coconut Macaroons

Fresh Coconut Drops

What you'll need:

• 2 cups fresh coconut, diced
• 1.5 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 500g brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup water

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a heavy-based pan, with just enough water to cook the coconut.  Boil the mixture until it becomes very sticky, about 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon for a few minutes.  Spoon out mixture, place by the spoonful onto a greased baking tray to cool, about 30 minutes.

(Makes approx. 12 servings).

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Fresh Coconut Pudding

What you'll need:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp rum (or 1 tsp rum extract)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh coconut milk (see below)
• 5 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 cups grated fresh coconut
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.  Generously butter a baking dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, nutmeg, 1 tablespoon vanilla and rum (or extract) together.  Whisk in the milk and coconut milk.  Add the butter, fresh coconut and bread crumbs, mixing well.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour.  Remove pudding from the oven and cool for ten minutes.
4. Increase oven temperature to 130ºC.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy.  Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until it is glossy and stiff peaks form.  Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, mixing well.  Do not under beat.
5. Spread the meringue over the top of the pudding evenly.  Return to the oven and bake for 2 to 3 minutes or until meringue turns golden brown.

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Fresh Coconut Milk

What you'll need:

• 1 coconut, shell removed and flesh grated
• 1.5 cups hot, simmered (not boiling) water

Method:

1. Place the coconut in a heat-proof bowl.  Cover with hot water and stir.  Let cool to room temperature.
2. Place a sieve or strainer over a large bowl.  Line it with a double layer of cheesecloth.
3. Pour the soaked coconut into the cheesecloth, pull the edges together and squeeze out the coconut milk.  Refrigerate the coconut milk.
4. The remaining coconut flesh may be air-dryed and/or toasted for other uses.

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Fresh Coconut & Lentil Soup

What you'll need:

• 1.5 cups red lentils
• 2.5 cups water
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 3-4 shoots Garlic-Chi, finely chopped, or to taste
• 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup soy milk
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp freshly milled black pepper, or to taste
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Place the lentils and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to boil.
2. Stir in onion, Garlic-Chi and ginger.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Place coconut shreds and soy milk in a blender, and blend until smooth and thick.  Stir into the lentil mixture with curry and pepper.  Continue cooking 10 - 15 minutes.  Salt to taste.

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Crispy Coconut Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

What you'll need:

For the sauce: 

• 1 medium size red bell pepper, quick roasted
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 drops liquid stevia extract
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the chicken: 

• 2 shoots Garlic-Chi, mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 large chicken breast, halved
• 1/2 cup coconut flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
• 1 cup fresh coconut, flaked
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter or virgin coconut oil
• 2 tbsp chicken broth

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. In a blender, puree the roasted pepper with the lemon juice, stevia, cayenne, olive oil, and salt and black pepper to taste until the sauce is smooth.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic-chi paste, the ginger and the mustard and spread the mixture onto both sides of the chicken.  In separate bowls have ready the seasoned flour, the beaten egg and the coconut.
4. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.  Then dip it in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, and coat it thoroughly with the flaked coconut, pressing the coconut to make it adhere.
5. In a large ovenproof skillet heat the butter or coconut oil over moderately high heat for one minute, saute chicken for two minutes on each side, or until the coconut is golden.  Add teh chicken broth, transfer the skillet to a pre-heated oven and back the chicken for 10 - 12 minutes or until it is just cooked through.  Divide the sauce between two large plates and arrange the chicken on it.
6. Serve with steamed vegetables.

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Crispy Coconut Prawns with Mango Dipping Sauce

What you'll need:

• 24 medium prawns
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic and herb seasoning
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh coconut, shredded
• 4 tbsp mango marmalade (or pineapple, apricot or peach)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 4 tbsp orange juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.  Spray large baking sheet with non-stick spray.
2. Sprinkle prawns evenly with seasoning blend and pepper.  Place flour, egg and coconut in three small separate bowls.
3. Dip prawns first in egg, then flour, then back in egg, then generously in coconut.
4. Arrange prawns on baking sheet.  Bake 12 - 15 minutes or until golden and crisp.
5. To make the sauce, combine marmalade with mustard and orange juice and mix well.
6. Serve the prawns with Mango Sauce (or your choice of dipping sauce).

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Fresh Papaya & Coconut Jam

What you'll need:

• 4 cups fresh papaya, pureed
• 2 cups fresh coconut, grated
• 4 cups sugar
• 2 ounces dry fruit pectin
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

Method:

1. Cook slowly the papaya puree, grated coconut, sugar and dry pectin for 15 minutes.
2. Add the lemon juice and grated ginger and cook for another five minutes until it is thickened.
3. Place in four sterilized pint size bottles.

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Square Coconut Sweets (Coconut Burfi)

What you'll need:

• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups fresh coconut, shredded
• 1.5 tsp cadamom powder
• Pinch saffron (optional)

Method:

1. Butter an 8" round cake pan, set aside.
2. Combine sugar and milk and cook over medium heat.  Simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture makes a single thread when pinched between two fingers.
3. Add shredded coconut, cadamom powder and saffron.  Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.  Press the mixture into the buttered pan (not quite to the edges) and about 3/4" thick, let cool.  Cut into 1.5" squares.

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Cherry & Coconut Muffins

What you'll need:

• 2 cups self raising flour
• 125g butter
• 1 cup fresh coconut
• 1 cup fresh pitted cherries
• 2/3 cup castor sugar
• 1 cup fresh coconut milk (see recipe above)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Method:

1. Combine flour and butter in food processor until mixture resembles bread crumbs.
2. Place all ingredients into large bowl.
3. Mix gently until just combined.  Place mixture into greased 12 hole muffin tin.
4. Bake at 220ºC for twenty minutes.

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Warm Nutty Soother

What you'll need:

• 1 cup fresh coconut milk (see recipe above)
• 2 tbsp strong brewed decaf coffee or espresso
• 5 drops liquid stevia extract (to taste)
• 1 egg yolk (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the coconut milk over a medium flame until nice and hot, do not boil.
2. Add the coffee.
3. Pour into a heat-proof blender, add the stevia extract and the optional egg yolk and blend well.
4. Pour into two coffee mugs and enjoy.
5. For variation - add a pinch of cinnamon or a drop of vanilla extract, or almond extract.

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Fresh Coconut Macaroons

Low Carb and Gluten Free

What you'll need:

• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups coconut, finely shredded and air or oven dried
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried ground stevia leaf
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Whip egg whites and vanilla until glossy peaks form.  In a separate bowl stir together the coconut, stevia and sea salt.  Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, just until well combined.
3. Let mixture sit about five minutes.
4. Make drop cookies, placing them on a sheet of unbleached parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet, using about 2 tsp of the mixture per cookie.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until outside of the cookies are lightly browned.
5. Remove from oven and let cool - if you can resist - on the baking sheet to room temperature.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 20 cookies.

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