Coconut

The coconut is a very versatile fruit as it is edible ripe and unripe. The hard, brown, fibrous shell familiar to most is the mature ripe form of coconut. 'Immature' coconuts are green on the outside and the shells are still fairly soft. These coconuts are often sliced open and served with a straw and a spoon: one for drinking the sweet juice, the other for scooping out the soft, jelly-like flesh. Throughout the tropics, (this includes Singapore) coconuts are a common ingredient in dishes sweet, savoury and also spicy.

Tips on Choosing a Coconut

> Feel the weight. Good-quality coconuts would be heavy.

> Make sure that there is no visible moisture or mould

> When shaken, there should be a distinct sound of liquid sloshing inside.

Tip: For most recipes, freshly grated coconut is far superior to the desiccated kind shops retail, leading in both the fields of flavour and texture.

The Making of Coconut Milk

There are several different ways of making coconut milk. However, one must first know what coconut milk is. One of the common misconceptions is that coconut milk is the liquid found inside the coconut. Well, that is wrong! I repeat, WRONG! (try making your curries with that!). Coconut milk is the milky liquid extracted from the grated flesh of mature fresh coconuts or from shop-brought desiccated coconut.

MEthOd

1. Take the flesh of the coconut and grate it

2. Put it in a bowl

3. Add hot water

4. Stir the mixture and leave to cool

5. Pour the liquid through a double muslin and squeeze,squeeze... extracting as much juice as possible

N.B. A blender can be used to facilitate the process