Coconut

What it is

A mature coconut has a hard brown hairy shell lined with firm white flesh and filled with coconut water. The flesh is grated fresh for cooking or squeezed to make coconut milk; young green coconuts have soft jelly-like flesh and more water. This record is fresh or frozen grated coconut; desiccated coconut is dried.

Cocos nucifera

How it’s used

• Ground into South Indian chutneys and curry pastes
• Grated over thorans and poriyals
• Squeezed for fresh coconut milk
• Cooked with jaggery in sweets and fillings

Characteristics

Kinds in our pantry

• Desiccated coconut

Storage

Refrigerated. Whole coconuts keep for a week or two at room temperature; refrigerate grated flesh and use within a couple of days, or freeze. Sour smell means discard.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Gluten-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free
• Caffeine-free

• Coconut is not one of the common tree-nut allergens, but some people do react to it and some labelling rules have listed it with tree nuts; check if you have a nut allergy.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy

354 kcal

Protein

3.33 g

Carbohydrate

15.23 g

Fat

33.49 g

Fibre

9 g

Sugars

6.23 g

USDA FoodData Central: Nuts, coconut meat, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

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