Hard nut to crack

Whether young or mature or even off-the-shelf shredded, the tropical fruit is delicious in everything from cookies and ice cream to soups and marinades.

Easy coco ice cream
Ingredients : 7 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp salt
Method:1In a large saucepan combine the coconut milk with sugar and salt.
2Bring it to a gentle bubble on medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about a minute.
3 Cool to room temperature and freeze.
4Process mixture in ice cream machine or a mixer.

Coco colada
A delectable twist on a pina colada
Ingredients: Coconut juice, 100 gms pineapple juice, 75 gms rum, 75 gms cream of coconut, 1 cup ice.
Method: 1 Open coconut and pour juice into blender.
2 Add the pineapple juice, rum, cream of coconut and ice.
3Cover and whirl until almost smooth. Pour into coconut and add straws.

Curried thai seafood soup
If using different kinds of seafood sounds complicated, use just one kind.
Ingredients: 2 tbsps vegetable oil, 1 cup chopped leek, 4 tsps minced fresh ginger, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp minced fresh jalapeno chili with seeds, 2-1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk, 2 1/4 cups clam juice, 1/3 cup raw long grain white rice, pinch saffron threads, 11/4 tbsps fresh lime juice, 1/4 tsp lime zest (colored part of peel), 12 small clams, scrubbed, 16 shrimps.
Method: 1Heat oil in heavy pot over medium heat and add leek, ginger, curry , and 1/2 tsp jalapeno; cook for 5 minutes.
2 Stir in coconut milk, clam juice, rice and saffron; bring to boil.
3 Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender, 15 minutes.
4 Add lime juice and zest. Add clams and cook covered for four minutes.
5 Add shrimp; cook covered for 5 minutes (discard clams that don't open). Garnish with remaining jalapeno and chives

Coconut kiss
These cookies are a snap.
Ingredients 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, 2-2/3 cups shredded coconut, 1/4 tsp rum extract, 1/4 tsp salt
Method 1 Line a baking sheet with butter paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 Combine condensed milk, shredded coconut, rum and salt. Stir to combine with large wooden spoon; mixture will be sticky.
3 Drop a level tablespoon on prepared sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until lightly browned.
4Remove from pan while still hot and place on wire rack. Cool

Salty coconut nibbles
Snacks to serve with cocktails.
Ingredients 1 coconut, Coarse salt
Method 1 Remove flesh from brown coconut and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2Cut coconut flesh into 1/2-inch strips and place in single layer on rimmed baking sheet; do not crowd.
3 Season with coarse salt, such as kosher salt.
4 Bake for four minutes. Turn chips with spatula and bake 4 to 7 minutes more, until crunchy and lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Coconut rice
So easy and so good. In a rice cooker, place 2 cups long-grain rice, 250 gms unsweetened coconut milk, 3-1/2 cups water and pinch of salt; stir to combine. Cover and turn on rice cooker. Cooker will shut off when rice is cooked.

First Published: Aug 18, 2007 15:41 IST