12. Coconut Products
Go coconuts!
Coconut is an essential ingredient in the oriental kitchen. Despite its name, the coconut is not a nut, but a rock fruit from the coconut palm. A coconut consists of 4 parts: the coconut fibre, the skin, the fibrous flesh and the coconut water. The fibrous flesh contains 40% fat, of which more than 30% is saturated. Coconuts are highly nutritious, rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals and have a typical sweet nutty flavour. Coconut products are often used as a tasty and health-conscious alternative to dairy products like cow milk and cream.
COCONUT MILK
A common misconception is that coconut milk comes directly from coconuts. But this is not true, in fact it is the result of mixing and kneading the grated pulp of a ripe coconut with hot water. This is the same process as coconut cream except for coconut milk it is repeated for a second time. The drained liquid is now less thick and is called coconut milk.
Coconut milk has the consistency of very thick cow’s milk. Due to its thickness, it makes an excellent addition to smoothies, soups and stews.
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Coconut milk sold in tins is often a mixture of the coconut milk and cream and can vary enormously in thickness and fat content. At H&S we sell 'light' coconut milk which contains only 6% fat, and coconut milk products which vary from 16-21% fat. A fat percentage of 18% is considered the standard. This fat is saturated vegetable fat and therefore more digestible compared to other saturated animal fats.
Coconut milk is often used as alternative to dairy.
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COCONUT CREAM
Coconut Cream comes from the grated, white flesh of a ripe coconut that is mixed and kneaded with warm water, finally the mixture is squeezed out. The thick, creamy liquid is called coconut cream.
Coconut cream adds a nice thickness to a dish, without adding dairy. It can also be diluted with water, or you can use it for dishes and desserts that require thick, heavy cream. When the mixing and kneading process is repeated for a second time it will result in a liquid that is less thick, called coconut milk.
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​Creamed coconut is a concentrated/boiled version of coconut milk. Because fresh coconut milk can become sour within a day, people started to boil down the coconut milk. The blocks of concentrated coconut milk (coconut cream) are called ‘santen’. You can dilute a block of ‘santen’ with warm water to make coconut milk. It is very easy to use, because you can decide for yourself how much water to add. This way you determine the coconut taste of your dish.
INSTANT COCONUT MILK
Instant coconut milk and cream is made from dried coconut meat, it has all of the flavour of coconut milk, except it is a powder and not liquid. It can be mixed with water to make as little or as much coconut milk as you need, and as thin or thick as you like. Coconut milk powder is often used for desserts and is also very popular in curries, soups, and sauces.
DESSICATED COCONUT
Desiccated coconut is the dried flesh of a ripe coconut. The flesh of the ripe coconut is first grated or planed and then slowly dried in the sun or oven. It is usually unsweetened and very finely grounded. Sometimes the flesh gets sprinkled with a little sugar water to sweeten it. Desiccated coconut is used as a key ingredient in many oriental dishes. It is often used in or as a topping on savoury and sweet recipes and for body and texture in curries. Dried coconut can be kept for months, if packaged airtight.
COCONUT MILK DRINK
Coconut Milk Drink is a combination of coconut milk and (coconut) water. It is often used as a substitute for normal milk by people with lactose intolerance. It has a very outspoken, coconutty flavour which brings a nice twist to you drink. Coconut Milk Drink is great for breakfast cereals, tea or coffee, sweet or savoury cooking, or simply on its own.
COCONUT WATER
Coconut water has become increasingly popular throughout the last years. Coconut water is the clear liquid inside coconuts. Coconut water forms naturally in the fruit and contains 94% water and very little fat. The liquid inside young green coconuts is often preferred to the liquid of a ripened coconut. Whole coconuts for drinking are served chilled, fresh, or packaged. We mostly sell coconut water in (Tetra) packs.
It is a very refreshing, low in sugar and highly hydrating, e.g. after sports. In Asia you can buy a fresh young coconut on every corner of the street, after opening you can enjoy the fresh coconut water. The first and still most important A-brand of coconut water within H&S’s product portfolio is UFC from Thailand. It is award-winning coconut water distinguished for its great taste. A cheaper alternative is Cocoxim from Vietnam, also good taste, but introduced much later. However, after the success of the first coconut water products many big brands started to produce coconutwater, like e.g. Chaokoh and King Island.
COCONUT OIL
Coconut oil (or better said: coconut fat) is pressed from the copra, the dried, white flesh of a ripe coconut. You can divide coconut oil into 2 types:
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unrefined: fragrant, melts at 24-26°C, boiling point is around 170°C
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refined: odourless, melts at 30-37°C, boiling point is around 230°C
Both oils are suitable for baking but only refined coconut oil is suitable for deep-frying.
Fluid and liquid coconut oil looks colourless whilst solidified coconut oil is white coloured. Like butter, coconut oil consists of as much as 85% saturated fat and is therefore called unhealthy by the Dutch nutrition centre, although many experts claim the opposite. Some even consider coconut oil, the unrefined type, to be super food. You can usually keep coconut oil up to two years, even outside the fridge, without it losing its flavour.
YOUNG COCONUT
​Young, fresh coconuts are harvested before they fall from the trees, because when they mature, the flesh becomes hard. The flesh of young coconuts is soft and pudding-like, not crunchy like an adult coconut. The taste is therefore a lot softer and less ‘coconutty’. Young coconut slices are often eaten as a snack but can also be used for the preparation of desserts such as pastries, sorbets and drinks like smoothies and cocktails.
COCONUT FLOUR
Coconut flour has a very soft and delicate taste and is rich in protein, fibre and good fats. It is a rich source of lauric acid, a saturated fat that supports the immune system, thyroid gland and contributes to a healthy skin. Coconut flour is often used as a substitute for normal flour by people with allergies for gluten. There are numerous advantages to cooking with coconut flour, but it is a bit different than cooking with normal flour, there are a number of things to consider:
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Coconut flour is absorbent, so you can use less flour in your recipes. For comparison; where a recipe uses 250 grams of 'normal' flour, you can replace this with a quarter coconut flour.
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The amount of coconut flour remains the same if you use it in combination with meat.
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If you bake with coconut flour you have to use more eggs for moisture
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Coconut flour lumps quickly, use a hand mixer to prevent this.