How to make from coconut. How to make coconut flakes at home

After opening the nuts and removing the coconut juice, the white flesh is kneaded and dried, and then crushed. The properties of the obtained dry product practically do not differ from the properties of fresh coconut pulp. At the same time, the calorie content of the chips is much higher.

The main purpose of this product is the use in cooking. In addition to adding to sweet dishes, shavings can be used in salads, meat dishes, side dishes. This diversifies the diet by adding original and non-standard food to it.

Varieties

Depending on the particle size of the chips, the following grades are distinguished:

coarse - the least valuable chips, since they are coarsely ground;
medium - a type of chips, which is medium pounded;
fine - the highest quality grade, represented by finely ground chips, in which a large number of fats.

The leaders in the production of coconut chips are Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines and Indonesia.

Beneficial features

Coconut shavings:

it has a porous structure and a large amount of dietary fiber, thanks to which it cleanses the intestines well and improves digestion;
rich in useful nutrients- vitamins B, E, C, iron, calcium, fructose, potassium, sucrose, essential fatty acids (in particular, lauric acid, which can normalize cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of atherosclerosis);
recommended for earache, impaired vision, viral and fungal infections, urological diseases, reduced immunity;
effective as home remedy against worms (can be used even in children at a dose of 1 teaspoon before meals).

Harm

Coconut flakes can only be harmful to people who cannot tolerate coconut fruit. Also, do not get involved in chips for people with allergic reactions. If you do not have allergies and tolerate coconut well, you can use shavings without fear.

How to choose and where to buy

Coconut flakes can be found in almost any grocery store. It is best to purchase shavings in a transparent package, because this will allow you to have a good look at the purchase.

Coconut flakes may be the pomace of the coconut meat left after the coconut oil has been extracted. This pomace is dry, which can affect the result of its use. Pay attention to the type of coconut written on the package (we wrote about this above).

You will see on sale not only white, but also shavings of different colors. However, think carefully about whether you should treat yourself to a dessert with bright shavings, since dyes for its production are mainly used artificial.

In grocery stores healthy eating you can see organic coconut flakes, then you will be completely sure of the quality and usefulness of the purchased flakes.

Also in such stores they sell shavings, the fat content of which is reduced, which is convenient for people who monitor their diet and try to avoid excess fat in the diet.

How to DIY

Coconut shavings are quite possible to cook at home.

Steps for making coconut flakes at home:

Choosing a good coconut - quality and ripe.
Removing coconut juice.
Cleaning from the outer cover and extracting the pulp.
Rubbing the pulp.
Dry or use.

You can buy a nut at any time of the year, but the most worthy fruits appear on sale from October to December. Choose a hard fruit that does not have cracks, streaks, or mold. Also carefully inspect the "eyes" (closed holes on the fruit), making sure that they are not wet. Be sure to shake the nut - in a fresh coconut, the juice will gurgle and overflow.

The next step is to drain the coconut juice. Juice can be drunk or drained by making a hole in any "eye" of the nut and inserting a tube there. To remove the top layer of the fruit, tap the coconut with a mallet and discard any parts of the shell that have peeled off. You can also cut the nut using a metal saw, after which it will be very easy to extract the pulp from the resulting halves.

After splitting the nut and getting its snow-white pulp, take an ordinary vegetable grater and any container.

Rub the pieces of pulp smoothly, slowly and carefully, then the structure of the future chips will be homogeneous. You can also use a combine if it has a suitable attachment.

The finished chips can be used immediately or dried a little. You can also mix the resulting chips with vanilla sugar.

Application

The main industry of coconut flakes is confectionery:

Coconut pulp chips are added inside rolls, cakes, cakes, as a delicious aromatic filling.
It is used for decorating and sprinkling ready-made delicacies. It can be seen on sweets, icing, muesli, chocolate, bars, curd cheese and other sweets.
The product is also used in the preparation of savory dishes, such as meat.
Coconut pulp is especially in demand in Asian cooking. Coconut chips mixed with chili pepper (ground) are a very spicy seasoning for both dessert and savory dishes.

Recipes

Apple pie

You need:

kilogram of apples;
one glass of flour, coconut and sugar;
200 grams of butter;
4 eggs;
chayn. a spoonful of soda;
3 teaspoons spoons lemon juice;
50 grams of powdered sugar.

After mixing butter, eggs, sugar and lemon juice, add flour, 3/4 cup wood chips and baking soda. Grate 100 grams of apples, add to the dough, then knead it well and put it in a mold. Arrange sliced apples on top of dough. Put in the oven for 45 minutes, and a few minutes before the end of baking, sprinkle the cake with 1/4 of the chips that you have left, as well as powdered sugar.

Butter Cookies

Beat two eggs and 100 grams of sugar, add 200 grams of coconut and mix. Pour 100 grams of wheat flour, a little baking powder into the mass and, after kneading, put in the refrigerator for half an hour. Wet your hands with water and form cookies to bake for about 15 minutes.

Melt 200 grams of white chocolate and 200 grams of butter with constant stirring over low heat. Add 400 grams of condensed milk to the melted ingredients, stir and add 70 grams of coconut flakes. The resulting cream should be kept in the refrigerator for several hours in a glass container. With this cream, you can lubricate cakes, pastries and even just slices of bread.

meringue cookies

You need:

100 grams of white coconut;
100 grams of sugar;
1 protein.

Mix sugar and coconut flakes in a bowl. Add the protein and, after mixing, spread the future cookies with a spoon on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Bake for about 7 minutes.

For cooking you need:

200 g coconut chips;
70 g of powdered sugar;
100 ml cream;
70 g butter;
milk chocolate (about 200 g).

Mix coconut and powder in a bowl, pour this mixture into a saucepan with warmed butter and cream. Having made small balls from the resulting mass, hold them for one hour in the refrigerator. After melting the chocolate, dip the coconut balls into it (use toothpicks), then put the candies in the refrigerator for the whole night.

Mix in one container 0.75 cups of sugar, a glass of kefir, one egg, one and a half cups of flour and baking powder (10 grams). Pour the resulting dough into a mold, and evenly distribute the filling on top, represented by a mixture of 0.75 cups of sugar, a little vanilla and 100 grams of coconut flakes. Bake for about half an hour, and so that the chips do not burn, 10 minutes after putting the cake in the oven, cover it with foil.

Storage

Keep the coconut flakes in a cool, dry and odor-free area. Purchased unopened packaging can be stored for up to 12 months. Do-it-yourself shavings are recommended to be used immediately, or, after drying a little, store in the refrigerator.

You can learn more about the benefits of coconut by watching the following video.

Common in East Asian cuisine coconut milk conquered Europe with its delicate delicate taste: sauces are prepared on its basis for both spicy and sweet dishes, exotic soups are brewed and fruit cocktails are made.

There are very interesting and delicious African, Indian and Brazilian dishes, which include coconut milk, butter or coconut flakes. You can buy these coconut goodies in the store, but it is quite possible to make coconut milk, Coconut oil and shavings from fresh coconut at home.

Coconut milk is best prepared from fresh coconut, heavier. When choosing a coconut, you need to weigh it in the palm of your hand, and then shake it to check for the presence of coconut water in it. Make sure that the 3 "eyes" of the coconut are always closed when buying. The shelf life of opened coconut is 1-2 days (in the refrigerator). You can store the flesh of a fresh coconut by filling it with water in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The shelf life of cooked coconut milk is 24 hours in the refrigerator.

How to split a coconut at home

You will need:

1 coconut
boiling water (as needed)

Collapse kitchen towel, put it on the drain hole of the sink and place a coconut in it (or place it in a coffee can or other container). Using a screwdriver and hammer, pierce the dark indentations (“eyes”) on the top of the coconut. Flip the coconut over the bowl to let the juice run out. Try juice. It should be sweet, with a pleasant smell. A sour taste indicates that the nut is spoiled. Throw it away.

The shell needs to be broken. To do this, mark a line around the circumference, usually with a hatchet for beating meat or a knife, then smash the coconut wrapped in a towel with a hammer, trying to beat along the marked line. With this method of breaking a nut, two even halves are obtained.There is a natural fracture line in the center of the coconut, if you find it, you can split the coconut with a few movements of the knife.

Separate the pulp from the shell, cut off the brown shell with a knife. You can place the coconut for 10-15 minutes in an oven preheated to 200 C, it will become softer and easier to peel.Grate white pulp on a coarse grater or can be chopped in a processor.

You can not remove the thin brown shell, but then the milk turns out with a grayish tint, and you just throw out the coconut flakes, you can no longer use it ...

Cooking coconut milk

Coconut milk is a thick liquid that is made by soaking coconut meat in water. Such milk is an excellent option for flavoring fruit drinks. Using this technology, it is possible to prepare vegetable milk from other types of nuts: walnuts, almonds, etc.

To prepare milk, pour the grated chips with boiling water so as to just cover it. Mix well and leave for 30 minutes. The chips should swell and absorb most of the water.
After that, discard the chips with water on a cotton napkin.
Very carefully squeeze out all the liquid (milk with butter) into a separate bowl.

Coconut milk usually separates into 2 layers (2 phases) during storage. The top layer is denser and thicker, oily and the second one is liquid. The more ripe the coconut, the thicker and fatter the top layer, the more oil it contains. Both layers are mixed and go to the preparation of culinary products. The remaining shavings from the pomace can be dried in the oven at a low temperature and used for making desserts, pastries, etc.
The approximate yield of the product is 200 ml of milk from 1/2 medium-sized coconut.

Coconut milk pairs well with fruits that have their own distinct flavor, such as papaya or bananas. A mixture of coconut milk with pineapple, lemon or lime juice is very tasty.

The use of this product in cooking is very variable: coconut milk goes well with many dishes. It is loved and appreciated for its versatility: it can soften even the most spicy dish and add a rich sweet flavor to any dessert treat. Based on coconut milk, it is realistic to prepare dozens of different sauces for meat, seafood, fish and sweet delicacies. For these purposes, thick milk is often used. In desserts, it replaces not only cream, but also plain milk and flour with butter, which are usually added for tenderness and refinement of taste. Liquid coconut milk is used in many soups (in France, for example, coconut soup with shrimp is popular) and cocktails (more often in fruit and non-alcoholic ones). It is also used in salads and second courses.

Benefits of coconut milk

Coconut milk contains a lot of vegetable fats, protein and oil. It is rich in vitamins C and B group, as well as manganese and iron. This relatively low-calorie product is useful for chronic fatigue, loss of strength and beriberi. Regular consumption of coconut milk, as Indian experts have found, has a beneficial effect on cardiac activity.
Since ancient times, coconut has been known as a natural aphrodisiac, stimulating the production of hormones and reducing the risk of impotence in men. One of the most important benefits of coconut is the positive effects on the function of our cardiovascular system. In particular, eating coconut helps restore blood quality and normalize blood circulation, lower blood cholesterol levels, prevent atherosclerosis and various heart diseases, and so on.

Coconut products, such as milk and oil, have excellent cleansing effects, and the fats they contain stimulate metabolism and restore the functions of vital organs and systems in the human body.

Cooking coconut oil

Coconut milk is 40% coconut oil, which is the most valuable dietary product. Its main asset is the unique lauric acid, which, in addition to coconut, is also found in palm oil and women's oil. breast milk. Lauric acid helps protect the body from infections and viruses.

To prepare coconut oil, cut the flesh of the coconut into large pieces and chop in a blender or grate. Then transfer the grated pulp into a deep bowl. Bring water (about two and a half cups) to a boil. Let the water cool down a bit and pour over the grated coconut (not boiling water) and leave until the water cools completely, stirring the resulting mass from time to time.

When the water has cooled, cover the bowl with a lid and place it in the refrigerator for ten hours. After this time, remove the lid from the bowl. A thick crust of coconut oil formed on the surface of the bowl. It must be collected all, put into a mold and melted in a water bath. If there are pieces of coconut flakes in the oil, the oil itself can be filtered.

Put the mold with pure butter back in the refrigerator. This oil can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Coconut oil excellent for skin care when visiting solariums, makes the tan even and the skin velvety.
Coconut oil has a high content of lauric fatty acids and triglycerides. This property ensures good absorption. coconut oil into the skin. When applied to the skin Coconut oil melts and absorbs quickly, leaving the skin smooth and velvety.
Great fit Coconut oil for skin care and prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy.
Coconut oil prevents the formation of small cracks on the skin of the hands and on the heels.

Preparing coconut flakes

The squeezed chips left after receiving coconut milk can also be used in cooking, and if it is planned to be stored, it must be dried in the oven at a low temperature (50 degrees).

The chips are much more fragrant and tastier than those bought in the store. If you need chips to decorate confectionery, then it is better to grind the coconut pulp not in the processor, but to grate it.

Coconut flesh can be thinly sliced with a Berner grater or vegetable peeler, dried in the oven to make coconut chips.

Coconut cosmetics

It is also believed that coconut milk, taken both internally and externally - in the form of masks and lotions - improves the color and condition of the skin and hair. Bathing in coconut milk was practiced, according to legend, by the Queen of Sheba.

Coconut is considered a powerful aphrodisiac that improves reproductive function, and coconut oil, obtained by cold pressing from the dried pulp, which promotes rejuvenation.

It is recommended to apply it on the body before going to the beach - it not only protects the skin from harmful UV rays, but also perfectly evens out the tan. Coconut milk perfectly nourishes the skin, saturates it with valuable vitamins and proteins, makes it velvety and soft.Moreover, with the help of this tool you can take care of both the skin and face, as well as hands or body.Coconut milk perfectly moisturizes the skin of the face and body.It creates a delicate protective shell on the skin and protects it from drying out.When using cosmetic products with coconut extracts, an excellent tonic and stimulating effect on the skin is felt, skin elasticity and firmness are restored, wrinkles are smoothed out, and acne rashes disappear and minor physical damage to the skin heals faster.

Coconut milk is also able to strengthen weakened hair, making it lush and silky.

Coconut Nourishing Mask Recipe, which is well suited for dry and aging skin: To begin, mix 1 tablespoon oat flour with 1 teaspoon of honey. Then dilute the mixture with natural coconut milk so that you get a mass similar to sour cream. Apply it on your face and wash off with lukewarm water after 10 minutes.

For dry skin. Mix two tablespoons of coconut milk with three tablespoons of cream. Such a mixture is quite enough for application to the face and décolleté.

Important!!! With all their useful properties, coconut quite allergic, so not suitable for food for all people.

Coconut is a tasty and nutritious tropical nut. It is used in the preparation of recipes for many dishes. But in order to use coconut for culinary purposes, it must be cooked.

How to open a coconut?

So let's take a coconut. If you look at it, you will see several depressions in the peel located nearby. It is necessary to put the coconut on the table so that these recesses are on top. To pierce them, you need considerable strength and dexterity, if in doubt, entrust this matter to the stronger sex.
When you pierce the holes in the coconut, strain the coconut water into a clean suitable dish, prepare it in advance. Coconut water has a specific, but pleasant, aroma and almost no taste, most often it is brackish. It can be drunk right away, it can be mixed into various dishes, from juices and cocktails to sauces for meat and fish dishes.
Coconut water will give all dishes and drinks a new shade of taste and a pleasant exotic aroma. It is most convenient to make holes in coconut with a corkscrew, a screwdriver or a straight knife without widening the blade.
When you express the water from the coconut, you can continue on. To extract the flesh from a coconut, you need to be patient and use a small hammer.
Tap the coconut from all sides without using too much force - the nut should crack open on its own. If it doesn’t help, increase the load and tap the peel harder. When the coconut splits, you can extract the pulp from its walls.
Take a large knife and cut the coconut flesh into small squares. Separate them from the shell, clean from brown crusts, which are often at the point of attachment of the pulp to the shell. Coconut can now be eaten raw without cooking. Use coconut meat as a separate dessert. It is delicious with juices and milk, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails.

Coconut - coke shavings recipe

You can make seasoning from coconut different dishes- the famous coke shavings.

To prepare the shavings recipe, grate the flesh of the coconut on a grater, you can grind it in a food processor.
To cook coconut, preheat the oven, the optimum temperature for cooking is 180-200 degrees. Lay foil on a baking sheet, you can use special paper for baking confectionery. Spread the crushed pulp of coconut on the bedding, place in the oven.
Cook the coconut golden color, it's about 10 minutes. Tip: do not cook shavings if fish or meat was cooked in the oven before, and it smells of spices and other foreign dishes, otherwise the shavings will instantly absorb odors. Then it will become unsuitable for adding to most dishes.
Store cooked coconut flakes in a tightly closed container in a dry and dark place. Do not store coconut shavings for more than six months.

coconut milk recipe

You can also make milk based on coconut water.

To do this, simply pour the crushed pulp with clean boiled water.
Pour in as much water as you have coconut pulp. Let it brew for about half an hour, after which you can express the water through the filter. The filter is easy to make from gauze by folding it into several layers.
Coconut milk is immediately ready to drink pure form. It can be added to drinks or sauces.

It does not matter why a coconut appeared in your house - whether it is a gift of fate or your own whim, but something must be done with it. Despite the rather harsh appearance, opening a nut is not such a difficult matter if you know which side to approach it from.

How to split a coconut

Of course, this nut is an exotic fruit and is not familiar to everyone. But that doesn't mean we can't deal with it.

The fruit of the coconut tree is more correctly called a drupe, not a nut.

To cut a coconut "under the walnut", we must stock up necessary tools and follow a certain sequence of actions.

Preparing inventory

We will need:

a hammer;
nail or screwdriver;
a large knife or hatchet for meat;
cup;
towel.

Do not be intimidated by the abundance of listed items. Some of them are interchangeable and are indicated in case another item is not at hand. Which tool you use depends on how you open the nut.

Drain the juice

On one of the "poles" of the nut there are three dark spots. In these places it will be easier to make a hole.

Coconut water is often mistakenly referred to as "milk". Actually, coconut water (juice) and coconut milk are two different things. Water is what is inside the nut, and the so-called coconut milk is obtained from the crushed pulp with the addition of water.

You need to choose the softest spot and make a hole in it with a nail or screwdriver

Lay the coconut on a towel so it doesn't slip on the table.
Place a nail against one of the marks and hit it with a hammer. Calculate the impact force! If you overdo it, you will get a hammered nail, not a hole.
Make two holes for the coconut water to pour out more easily, and tilt the nut over the glass.

Do not count on a full glass of juice, there is not much of it in a ripened (brown) nut.

Breaking a nut with bare hands

It is difficult to imagine a Papuan walking around under palm trees with a carpenter's set. Coconuts have been eaten since time immemorial, which means that there are some "primitive" ways to bring sweet pulp to the world.

The easiest way to open a nut if you have nothing but own hands- hit it hard on a hard surface. For example, about concrete wall. The "right hook" will have the desired effect if you aim: hold the nut in such a way that the blow falls on the most convex part of the "equator" of the nut. As a rule, one decent blow is enough for a crack to appear. The disadvantage of this method is that if the gap is too small, you cannot simply break the nut into two halves with your hands and you will have to repeat the maneuver. And if you are so strong that you just smashed the coconut against the wall, then you will not be able to enjoy the coconut juice - it will flow out.

How to open a coconut with a knife

If there is at least a knife, then this greatly simplifies the matter. It is desirable that it be a solid tool that inspires respect, for example, a billhook knife, a hunting knife or a “chef's knife”. With it, you cut the coconut in at least two ways.

Opening through a hole

If you have already made two holes in the shell and drained the juice, feel free to start cutting using the existing holes.

We insert the knife into one of the holes with a point.
We hit the handle several times. You can do this with a hammer, or you can just use your fist.

This method guarantees that the nut will crack, but does not guarantee the symmetry of the resulting parts.

Video: cutting with a knife through a hole

Knife on the rib of a coconut

In this way, “full” nuts are opened, with juice inside. First of all, evaluate the "exterior" of the knife and determine what is heavier, the blade or the handle. Sharpness does not matter, because we will tap the nut, not cut it. If the knife blade is heavier, then use its blunt side. If the handle is more weighty, then take the knife by the blade.

Locate a natural fault line approximately in the middle of the nut. As you remember, this is the very place where the shell cracks the fastest.
Act accurately and carefully: with one hand, hold the nut on weight and constantly turn it around its axis, and with the other hand, tap along this line with the blunt side of the knife.
As soon as a crack appears, insert the blade of a knife into it and slightly push the shell apart.
Pour the juice into a glass.
Now open the nut using the knife more forcefully.

Video: how to split the shell into two equal halves

How to open a green "drinkable" coconut

Green fruits are unripe nuts that have not yet had time to “matter”. By the density of the peel, they are somewhat reminiscent of a pumpkin, which means that a green nut can be easily handled with a kitchen knife. Just cut off one of the coconut poles like a "cap" and enjoy!

Green coconut juice reduces appetite, normalizes digestion, blood glucose, thyroid function and metabolism

Coconut water is low in calories, quenches thirst well, helps get rid of infections. Bladder and restores physical strength after intense exercise.

Safety precautions when opening a nut

Despite the fact that it is not difficult to deal with coconut, still be careful when using sharp, piercing, cutting objects. When wielding a hammer, try to protect your fingers. By the way, if out of all the ways to open a coconut you just decide to hit it with a hammer wherever you have to, then before that put it in plastic bag so as not to look for later scattered pieces throughout the kitchen.

Peeling the hard skin and extracting the pulp

Pulp extraction will go faster if you take into account next rule: the more shells, the easier it is to do. Therefore, if you do not use any "life hacks", then the most difficult thing will be to pick out the copra from those very perfect hemispheres that were discussed above.

Insert the blade of the knife between the shell and the edible part and separate the piece

The most primitive way to extract the pulp is as follows: insert the blade of a knife between the shell and the edible part, and, shaking the knife, separate the piece. Then another one. And further. The main thing is not to rush anywhere.

This type of meditation is not for everyone. Things will go much faster if you use the following method:

We will not throw away the shell

If carving a coconut is so impressive that you want to keep these exciting moments in your memory, make a souvenir out of the shell. Most often, halves of nuts are used as a salt shaker, candlestick, plate for buttons, keys and other trifles. If the shell is quite deep, then by turning it upside down, you will get an excellent eco-house for a hamster. Small and unsightly shards will serve as drainage for indoor flowers.

Photo gallery: decor and household items made of coconut shell

Candlesticks made from halves of coconut will decorate any holiday feeder from coconut shell very environmentally friendly Box in the shape of an egg - almost Faberge Cacti in a coconut planter feel at home

Terms and methods of storing coconut

One nut, as a rule, is eaten right there, so the question of how to store it is not even raised. Another thing is when, for some reason, you have these coconuts, as they say, “heaps”. Whole nuts keep in a cool place for up to three weeks. But if you don’t work in the same store where you managed to stock up on coconuts, then you can’t know how long they had already lain on the shelf before you were tempted by them.

Coconut is an ingredient quite often used in the preparation of desserts. Shavings can be bought at any store, this product is not in short supply. But some manufacturers try to cheat by replacing the coconut pulp with sugar beet and adding flavoring to get the right smell, others soak the grated coconut in water and wash it repeatedly, getting coconut milk in the process. But there is nothing easier than making coconut flakes yourself by buying a coconut in a store. In addition, in addition you will receive 100-150 ml. delicious coconut milk that you can drink or use in other dishes.

One medium-sized coconut will make about 150 g of coconut flakes. Well-dried shavings can be stored for a long time in a dry, clean glassware and use as needed. If desired, it can be tinted by adding a few drops of food coloring of the desired color.

Ingredients:

1 coconut

Cooking:

1. Wash and dry the coconut. He must be firm Brown color, without mold and white bloom.

2. On one of the poles of each nut there are three small indentations. Their shells are thin enough to be easily pierced. You can do this with an ordinary knife, then pour coconut milk into a glass through the hole or insert a tube and drink the fragrant sweet liquid directly from the coconut.

3. Then take the coconut in your hands and start tapping it with the back of the knife, you need to do this over the entire surface so that the coconut pulp separates from the shell. Approximately in the middle of the nut, its “equator” passes, along which it is most convenient to split the coconut. To do this, at the equator, you need to apply more than strong blows until the coconut splits in two.

4. Using a knife, remove the fragrant pulp from the shell. On one side there will be a brown crust that needs to be cut off.

5. Grate the white part on a beetroot grater.

6. Pour a thin layer on parchment paper and leave in a well-ventilated area for a day. It needs to be stirred periodically. Second, more fast option- leave a baking sheet with coconut chips in a cooling oven, while keeping a close eye on and stirring so that the chips do not burn.

7. Fragrant tender coconut flakes from coconut at home are ready to eat, it can be used in the preparation of various desserts.

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