Dehydrating coconuts...

[prana]

We go through a lot of coconuts (drinking the water) and we use most of the meat. Can coconut meat be used in something that could be dehydrated? Macaroons for example?

Any recipes where the coconut wouldn't have to be dehydrated first?

Thanks for your help.

[shakti17]

I just ate a bag of dehydrated coconut one second ago! what a timely thread for me. just dehydrate the meat - yum! A yummy chewy snack! you can do it plain, or add cinnamon or cayenne - yum yum yum!

[Sheryl]

Are you talking drinking coconuts with soft flesh or mature ones?

Cheers,
Sheryl

[prana]

The young thai coconuts with the soft flesh. The ones we get have a good amount of meat on them, although they are very soft and get half to 3/4 of a quart of water.

I'm just wondering if there is a way to dehydrate them or use them in a recipe.


shakti17~ the cocounuts that you use, are they young, or mature coconuts?


Thanks again.

[Shivananda]

I'm just wondering if there is a way to dehydrate them or use them in a recipe.

Oh my yes. As a matter of fact, many raw restaurants use so much of the jelly in various recipes that they practically give away the coconut water because it just is a by-product to them. I mean, seriously.... when Quintessance was still flourishing at its 3 locations in NYC (before the owner had a totally unrelated but highly publicizeed and very bizarre brush with the law that killed the biz) I would often walk in of an evening to find that they had a 16 oz. of fresh coconut water on sale for $1.50

To put this in the proper perspective, for those of you in the hinterlands, you cannot get 16 oz. of tap water in Manhattan for $1.50.

And earlier tonight I drove the 8 miles to Wild Oats to pick up a few ingredients for a raw coco/carob fruit pie I promised someone for tomorrow... but chiefly for the jelly coconut I had to have for the vanilla cream topping.

Dig out that jelly meat and whirl it in the blender to create a base for puddings, pie fillings, sweet toppings, soup bases, thick sauces, everything! It's every bit as versatile as an avocado.

[prana]

Our coconuts cost less than $1.50 and we use them in a variety of ways, just haven't dehydrated this soft coconut before. I have the opposite problem, we go through so much of the water that we can't keep up with the meat. Our dog loves the meat and he helps us out with this "problem".

I guess I'll try dehydrating it and see what happens. My hope is that it will last longer dehydrated than the raw meat sitting in the fridge waiting to be used.

[surfergrrl]

but wait! are you shredding it before you dry it or drying it whole as it comes scooped out of the coconut?

by the way, prana, i'm a little jealous over both the price you pay and the apparent large size of your "young" thai coconuts. i pay $2.98 each at Whole foods in White Plains, NY and i get about 1 cup of water and a small portion of the delicious, soft meat inside. i buy 2 at a time and carefully use them.

[raeannasun]

I've heard of recipes that blend the meat and dehydrate to make spring roll wrappers! I bet if you search the recipe board you could find something!

[prana]

Should I shread it first? I was going to cut the coconut into strips then dry it.

We seem to be in a good place for some produce. Our organic carrots are 2.50 for 5lbs, 2.99 for 3lbs of organic apples, 3.99 per lb for fresh organic dates (not dried), .39 for avocados, .59 for mangos, etc. If we order the coconuts by the case, we get a 10% discount.



raeannasun~ I'll look into the wrapper recipe. Thanks.

[JinxieKat]

I have dehyrated it, I would not do thin strips as they shrink into nothing. I was going to shred it after I dehyrated it as it is too soft to do before. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage now as these strips are fragile. If I figure it out I'll let you know.

Jinx