Many recipes call for freshly grated coconut, but how do you make it? Today I will teach you in a few simple steps.
Making freshly grated coconut from dried coconut is a simple process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you:
Materials Needed:
- Dried coconut
- Hammer, mallet, heavy cleaver or cutlass
- Screwdriver or sturdy knife
- Bowl
- Grater (hand grater or food processor with a grating attachment)
Steps:
First, purchase good-quality dried coconut!
Crack the Coconut:
Locate the three “eyes” or indentations on the coconut.
Use a screwdriver or a sturdy knife to pierce through one of the eyes to create a hole.
Drain the coconut water into a bowl by holding the coconut upside down over the bowl and letting the water flow out. Sometimes this step is skipped.
Break the Coconut:
Place the drained coconut on a hard surface.
Use a hammer, mallet or the back of a cleaver or cutlass to hit the coconut around its middle circumference, rotating it as you go.
The coconut should eventually crack open into two halves. You can further break it into smaller pieces if needed.
Remove the Coconut Meat:
Using a knife or a coconut tool(this is safer), carefully pry the coconut meat from the shell.
If a recipe requires the brown skin to be removed from the meat, you can scrape it off using a vegetable peeler or a knife.
Grate the Coconut:
Use a hand grater (offers options for different sizes depending on the recipe) or a food processor with a grating attachment to grate the coconut meat.
If using a food processor, cut the coconut meat into small pieces, place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are finely grated. Be careful not to over-process, as this can turn the coconut into paste rather than grated coconut.
Store or Use Immediately:
Freshly grated coconut can be used immediately in recipes or stored for later use.
To store, place the grated coconut in an airtight container or resealable bag and refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
To see how to make coconut milk, click here.
Now you have freshly grated coconut ready to be used in your favorite recipes! Enjoy cooking with your homemade grated coconut!
