May 13, 2010  The humble coconut becomes the inspiration for ten delicious recipes. 10 Ways to Cook and Bake with Coconut The humble coconut becomes the inspiration for ten delicious recipes.

Coconut is one of the true MVPs of health and beauty. It’s credited with the ability to do everything from build muscle to reduce blood pressure, and it can even do your taxes (okay, that last one isn't true). At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if Time named coconut as the 2019 Person of the Year. Processing an entire raw coconut, though, remains pretty darn intimidating.

Coconuts are the largest nut in existence, so naturally, it takes a few special steps to crack ‘em open—but it’s worth it. Fresh coconut meat and water tastes a million times yummier than the packaged kind. Whether you plan to cook with it or eat it as a snack, raw coconut is packed with nutritional benefits, including tons of minerals, fiber, protein, and energy-boosting fats.

In many coconut-growing countries, locals traditionally use a sharp machete to chop coconuts open. For people with experience, machetes are easy to wield, but for others? Not so much. Thankfully, there is another less-terrifying method of coconut preparation. All you need is a baking sheet, a screwdriver, and a hammer.

Heat the coconut in the oven

First, it’s helpful to heat up the entire coconut so the meat will loosen more easily from the thick, hard coconut shell.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the whole coconut onto a baking sheet and pop it into the oven for around 20 minutes. Then, set the coconut aside to cool.

Drain the water

Next, look for three indentations near the stem; these are the “eyes” of the coconut. Use a screwdriver (or a skewer or ice pick) to test these indentations to find the softest one. Then, poke the screwdriver through to create a small hole.

Turn the coconut upside down over a glass or bowl and give it a good shake to get all of the water out.

Open and remove the meat

Lastly, grab a hammer and a towel. Wrap the coconut in the towel, and with a light but firm hand, use the hammer to tap the coconut near the hole you created. Keep tapping until the coconut breaks in two.

Congratulations—you have now cracked a coconut! At this point, you can simply use your hands to peel the meat away from the shell bit by bit. Use a butter knife if necessary.

If you notice brown bits still attached to the skin, that’s normal. It’s called the coconut pellicle, and it’s safe to eat. If you prefer, though, you can also remove the coconut pellicle with a regular vegetable peeler.

The meat can be eaten fresh or used in any coconut recipes. You can grate it, shred it, toss it into a food processor—the sky is the limit.

Try an easy coconut recipe

Fresh coconut water is delicious plain. Cool it in the refrigerator for a refreshing, hydrating, and nutrient-rich drink. It’s also a great addition to coconut cocktail recipes.

The meat, on the other hand, can be used for endless coconut recipes. If you have no idea where to start, try conquering these two basic coconut preparations.

Toasted Coconut:

1. Divide the meat into strips.
   
2. Toast it on the stove for about 10 minutes until it’s browned and smells delicious.
   
3. Eat plain or add it to baked goods, granola, oatmeal, fruit salad, or trail mix.

Homemade Coconut Milk:

1. Add 2 cups of shredded coconut to a high-speed blender.
   
2. Add 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt.
   
3. Blend until well combined.
   
4. Test the consistency and texture. If it’s too thick, add another cup of water.
   
5. Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or a thin, clean towel.
   
6. Pour into a container and refrigerate.

You now have fresh, edible raw coconut—and nobody got hurt with a machete.

The meat from a mature coconut is used primarily in baked goods or combined with uncooked, finely chopped poultry, meat or shrimp. While coconut milk, made by mixing water with freshly shredded coconut meat, is prized for savory dishes, the used meat is usually discarded. Coconut meat is commonly cooked with sugar, milk and butter to make coconut candy, a treat found largely throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. Use a coconut grater, which has a flat or round rod with a rounded, serrated end, to remove the meat from the shell.

Step 1

Heat a medium-sized, nonstick frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Step 3

Melt the sugar until it is light brown. Do not stir.

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Pour in 4 ½ cups of grated, fresh coconut; it takes approximately two coconuts to make 4 to 5 cups of grated coconut meat.

Step 7

Stir the sugar and coconut mixture using a large wooden spoon to completely incorporate the ingredients.

Step 8

Cook the candy for 3 to 5 more minutes, enhancing the color and the flavor.

Step 9

Pour the candy into a non-heat-conducting plastic bowl; the candy will thicken as it cools.

Step 10

Place the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes to speed up the cooling process.

Step 11

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick pan spray.

Cooking With Fresh Coconut

Step 12

Step 13

Pinch off some of the coconut candy and roll it into a 1-inch ball. Set it aside. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Step 14

Things You'll Need

• Medium, nonstick pan

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 4 1/2 cups grated, fresh coconut meat

• Wooden spoon

• Non-heat-conducting plastic bowl

• Cookie sheet

• Aluminum foil

• Pan spray

Tip

To store the candy in your freezer, wrap coconut candy balls by the dozen in plastic wrap. Then, stack 2 dozen and wrap with heavy-duty foil. Place the candy in freezer storage bags in the freezer where they will keep for one year.

Cooking With Coconut Milk

Warning

Cooking With Coconut Oil Cookbook

Caramelized sugar is very hot. Be careful when you add the butter and the coconut to the sugar.