Desiccated Coconut Recipe

Desiccated coconut is a multi-purpose, all-natural, nutty, flavorful, and gluten-free condiment. In fact, you can make it at home with just one ingredient!

It is also simple to make, easy to store, and useful for any dish or pastry you want to cook.

Make your diet tastier by making this desiccated coconut recipe in your own kitchen!

How to Make Desiccated Coconut

Cook healthy meals by making spices from scratch, like desiccated coconut!

Ingredient

Coconut

Coconut is one of the most useful fruits you will ever have in your kitchen. It has coconut meat, coconut water, and husk that you can use for dishes, drinks, desserts, and baked goods.

It is also a sweet, nutty, and creamy fruit with many health benefits. The coconut meat is white with a firm texture and sweet flavor. Meanwhile, the juice is mildly sweet and sour with a slightly milky quality.

I love using these fruits for Nigerian Egg Rolls, Coconut Chin Chin, and Coconut Rice!

From now on, these fruits will never go to waste. Turn them into tasty and healthy desiccated coconuts!

Directions

Check out how easy it is to make desiccated coconuts!

1. Break the coconut open and slice it.
2. Then, peel off the brown skin.
3. Grate the coconut meat with a grater. 
4. Line a tray with parchment paper and spread the coconut evenly.
5. Cover the tray with a food net cover.
6. Then, let it air dry for several days.
7. Once dried, transfer it into a jar or resealable bag to store.

Trust me, making desiccated coconut does not get easier than this. It’s a natural way of using coconut meat to improve your dishes and your health!

Tips

Buying Coconuts

• Shake the coconuts to check for water sounds inside.
• The more liquid they have inside, the fresher they are.
• Additionally, the husk should not have cracks on it. 
• One of the eyes of the coconuts should be thinner and softer.
• The thin and soft eye should also not have molds.
• Buy fresh ones to make the desiccated coconuts.

Opening Coconuts

1. Locate the soft eye and poke it with a knife.
2. Push the knife inside until you reach the center of the fruit.
3. Then, flip the coconut onto the glass to get the coconut water.
4. Then, set the coconut water aside. 
5. Use a hammer to break the coconut open.
6. Turn the coconut as you break it open.
7. Once you see a crack, it will be easier to break it apart. 

Storing Coconuts

• Store whole coconuts at room temperature for a few months.
• Once opened, put them in resealable bags and store them in the fridge for up to five days. 
• On the other hand, store peeled and sliced ones in the fridge for two days.
• Otherwise, freeze them in freezer bags to extend their shelf life to four months. 

Grating Coconuts

If you don’t have a grater, then you can use a food processor o a miller. You can also finely chop it with a knife instead. 

Dehydrating Coconuts

Try these other methods to prepare this condiment. You can do it using these ways too.

Oven

1. Spread the grated coconut meat on the tray.
2. Cook it in the oven at 60°C for at least an hour.
3. Then, shake the baking tray every 20 minutes.
4. Take them out of the oven once dried.

Dehydrator

1. Distribute the coconut meat on the dehydrator tray.
2. Then, set the machine to 40°C.
3. Let it dry for about four to six hours.

Desiccated Coconut Variations

Aside from the classic desiccated coconut version, you can try the sweetened variety. According to Alpha Foodie, mix four teaspoons of sugar in a quarter cup of sugar. Then, stir in the plain desiccated coconut. Cook these together until fully mixed.

Once the liquid absorbs, spread the remaining contents on a tray and let it dry in the air or use an oven or dehydrator. Alternatively, you can replace the sugar with maple syrup or honey for better options.

Recommended Tools

• Grater: Grate the coconuts using a grater. 
• Knife: Open and peel the coconut with a knife. 
• Tray: Dry the coconut meat on a tray. 
• Parchment paper: Line the tray with this paper.
• Food net cover: Cover the tray to protect it from insects.
• Jar: Store the desiccated coconut in a jar.

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How to Use Desiccated Coconuts

One of the easiest ways to use desiccated coconut is to add it to cereal and baked goods. You can also have them as snacks! It’s also perfect for salads, garnishes, smoothies, and sauces. 

Moreover, I suggest using it for delicious dishes such as:

• Nigerian Coconut Rolls
• Coconut Chin Chin
• Coconut Rice

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Store the desiccated coconut in a jar or resealable bag. Keep it at room temperature to last up to several months. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is desiccated coconut? 

Desiccated coconut is grated and dried coconut meat from natural fruit. It is peeled, grated, and dried at room temperature or using an oven or dehydrator. 

What is the difference between shredded coconut and desiccated coconut?

Shredded coconut is non-dried and moist coconut meat. It is grated and stored immediately. On the other hand, desiccated coconut needs to be dried or dehydrated before use and storage. 

What is desiccated coconut made of?

It is made up purely of coconut meat. However, the sweetened version includes sugar and water.