Desiccated Coconut is the dried shredded white flesh of the Coconut which is used in making Cakes, Cookies, Chocolates, Sweets and various other recipes. It is available in online as well as neighborhood stores. But, it is easy to make it at home and we can make the best quality. Once we make this desiccated coconut, we can store it in airtight containers and it stays good for 15 to 20 days in ordinary room temperature. We can increase the storage period to months by storing it in a refrigerator. Let us see how to make the desiccated Coconut at home.
Desiccated Coconut
Ingredient :
Fresh mature Coconut – 1 (or more based on your requirement
Method:
Break the Coconut. Remove the Coconut flesh in pieces with a hard knife or such sharp implement. Peel the light skin with a knife or scraper and discard so that you are left with the white portion of the Coconut only.
Wash the pieces in water very well. Drain the water. Rub and dry them with a clean cloth. The pieces should become moisture free.
Take the pieces in a mixer jar. Grind the pieces into a fine granule (or flakes).
Spread the flakes evenly in a wide plate and keep it under a fan for an hour or two. It helps in minimizing the cooking time.
You can also grate the Coconut. Take extreme care not to touch the inner shell portion which would otherwise bring out the pink inner skin of the shell of the Coconut. Dry these grated flakes in shadow for 2 hours. And then Grind them in a mixer to fine flakes.
Dry roast the dried flakes in a wide pan (or Kadai) in low flame. The flakes should not turn brown.
Roast them till it loosens its moisture content fully. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes for this process.
Allow it to cool down. Store them in air tight containers. It stays good for 10 to 15 days in room temperature itself. You can store them in refrigerator in air tight containers for a longer period.
Notes:
- Use well matured Coconuts only. The shells of the matured Coconut look brown in general.
- Use only the white portion of the Coconut if you want snow white desiccated Coconut.
- Roast in low flame only.
- Spread the grated or crushed Coconut in wide plates and leave under the fan for an hour or so. Else it will take more time for roasting. Drying under the fan helps in getting better quality of desiccated Coconut like store bought ones.
