Many of my recipes use coconut water and discuss the use of coconut meat. I have had a few questions about where and how to access these ingredients, so I thought I would discuss some options.
1) Buy it:
So today, you can buy coconut water at your local grocery store and even convenience store now that this healthy drink has become trendy. My only caution is to check the labeling carefully, as my of these drinks have added sugar or flavoring. Make sure you select brands that are pure coconut water and have nothing else added. Coco Libre or Natures Delight are some ideas for good brands but there are lots out there.
You can also today buy frozen young coconut meat which is awesome for smoothies, desserts, and savory dishes. This is obviously a very convenient way of accessing the meat of a coconut without all the labor. Feeding the Change is a good brand that I like to use and can find it easily in most grocery stores. Mighty Bee is another great brand but it usually is carried in specialty grocers. The downside to frozen coconut meat is the cost! It is pricey about $12-$16 for a small bag. Also once you thaw the bag out to use it, you must consume the meat within 5 days so it is not going to last long once thawed.
2) Get it From the Source
When you buy a coconut you get the water and meat all in one. It is by far cheaper than buying frozen coconut meat and bottled coconut water. Usually, I hear from people it is such a pain to get into the coconut and get the meat out that they could not be bothered. I used to be one of these people until I studied at the Raw Food Foundation Vancouver Culinary Arts & Nutrition Institute. Here, we opened a lot of coconuts over the course…. a lot! I learned a few simple and easy tricks that I am going to pass onto you in hopes to boost your confidence in working with coconuts.
- I buy the young coconuts with the shell removed. They are in almost all grocery stores now and it is just so much easier to work with. Simplify where you can.
- Since the shell is removed, you can press firmly around the top of the coconut looking for its “soft spot”. The soft spot of the coconut is a germination pore. The softness allows nutrients to easily pass through the hard shell of the coconut onto the young plant. This is your easy access point where you spike in your straw to drink or where you plan to make your initial crack.
- Using the heel of a blunt blade (I don’t use my good quality knives for this), whack the “soft spot” causing a break in the coconut. From there proceed in the same manner around the top of the coconut making a circle until you are able to pull off the “hat”/ top of the coconut.
- Then pour the coconut water into a jar with a secure lid and store to drink later.
- Using the back of a spoon slide the spoon between the outer shell and the meat to loosen the coconut flesh to easily remove. Some of the meat may have some fibrous outer shell stuck to it, just peel it off with your fingers.
- Give the coconut meat a good rinse and gently pat dry with paper towels. Store the meat in the freezer in an airtight container until you are ready to use it.
Lychee Coconut Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh coconut water
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 3 lychee fruits, peeled
Instructions
- Place coconut sugar onto a small plate and spread out.
- Place the rim of a martini glass under cold water and place the rim into the coconut sugar, coating the entire rim. Place the glass in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the glass from the freezer and pour 1 cup of coconut water into the glass.
- Thread 3 lychee fruits onto a stirstick and add it into the glass (this is the healthy swap for the olives in that dry martini).