So let me explain! We arrived in Chagos, and I had this plan: I’d eat coconut in some form every day because… well, the islands are pretty much made of them! So I had this plan that I’d eat coconut in some form every day because… well, the islands are pretty much made of them! And it turns out, there are so many coconut recipes and uses to try.
If you’re interested, let’s take a look at how I ate coconut every day for a week—my favourite coconut recipes and creative coconut uses!
Related:
How to Harvest and Use Coconut Meat: A Sailor’s Guide to Tropical Living
5 Things I Always Pack When We Go to Shore (Island Edition)
Coconut Recipes
Right, let’s start with some coconut recipes that I absolutely LOVE!
Coconut Chocolate Bliss Balls
Whatever image that conjured up in your mind—these are better. Trust me. Blend chocolate with anything and it’s good; blend it with coconut and it’s amazing. I totally made this one up one day. We’d just made sun-dried desiccated coconut, and after failing to make coconut butter, I decided to throw some random stuff in the Thermomix and see what happened. The result? Surprisingly good.
Recipe: Blend 1.5–2 cups desiccated coconut, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, ½ cup dates, 3–4 tbsp coconut oil (add more if the mixture is too dry), and 1–2 tbsp honey in a food processor. Roll into balls and keep in the fridge.
Homemade Coconut Milk
This is super easy—one of the best things to make from coconut. You can use it in heaps of things, from smoothies to curries. It’s a really simple process.
Recipe: Blend 1 cup raw coconut (the older hard meat) and 2 cups water in a food processor for 30–60 seconds. Strain through cheesecloth (or whatever’s on hand). Store in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Desiccated Coconut
Okay, maybe we should’ve started with the basics—but here we are. The side product of making coconut milk is the very delicious desiccated coconut! When you strain the milk, this is what’s left. You can dehydrate it or leave it in the sun for a couple of days, then mix it into cereal, bliss balls, or… lots of things!
Recipe: Take the strained bits from making coconut milk, dehydrate (or sun-dry) for a day. Use within 3 days.
Coconut Chia Pudding
Moving on, we come to the breakfast favourite (or lunch/morning tea/afternoon snack) of coconut chia pudding! It’s another super simple recipe that literally just involves stirring a few ingredients together and tossing it in the fridge overnight. The texture might not be for everyone, but it’s really good.
Recipe: Mix 1 cup coconut milk, 4–5 tbsp chia seeds, ¼ tsp vanilla essence, and a bit of honey in a jar. Stir again after 10 minutes to make sure it’s well combined. Place in the fridge overnight and enjoy with whatever toppings you like (fruit!) in the morning.
Toasted Coconut Flakes
Oh, these are a favourite for sure! You pretty much just thinly slice or peel pieces of coconut, then toast or dehydrate them. Yum!
Recipe: Take 1 cup raw coconut (the older hard meat), slice into thin strips. Heat up a pan and toast until golden brown (alternatively, use a dehydrator or oven). Add to cereal or eat as a snack. Keeps for up to 5 days.
Poisson Cru / Ceviche
You may or may not have heard of poisson cru, but it is amazing. It’s similar to ceviche, except it’s from French Polynesia—and they do it very well. We may not be the best at replicating it, but adding homemade coconut milk to raw fish, onion, lime, and other goodness makes it even tastier. (May or may not have had it last night with a crazy-big yellowfin tuna our friends caught—I think I might’ve dribbled.)
Recipe: Go check out this one.
Coconut Rice
This is amazing and just adds heaps of flavour to an otherwise boring element of dinner. It goes especially well with a spicy curry or fresh salad, eating it by itself is also really amazing. Or if you’re in Thailand, have it with mango as dessert!
Recipe: Make rice as usual, just substitute 1 cup of water for 1 cup of coconut milk.
Coconut Buns
Okay, our last recipe is another ridiculously simple one. When you read the ingredients, you probably won’t believe them. Ready? Coconut milk and flour. Yep, that’s it! Just mix them up, chuck them in the oven or Thermomix, and enjoy with a bit of jam. No, seriously—they’re really good (if a little dense).
Recipe: Mix 1 cup coconut milk, 2 cups flour, a pinch of salt, and a little baking powder (optional) together in a bowl. Place in muffin tins or on a tray and cook for 20–30 minutes. Alternative: cook in Thermomix for 20 minutes.
Other Creative Coconut Uses
Now, I spoke earlier about how I wanted to try using the coconut shells for something, because when it comes to coconut recipes and uses, there’s more than just food!
Coconut Shell Bowls
Pretty much, you sand down the inside and outside, make sure it can stand up, and then seal it with coconut oil. A really cool idea! It takes a lot of sanding to get smooth, but it’s worth it—practical and pretty.
Coconut Shell Jewellery
You can carve a little bit of the shell, sand it into shapes, make a hole, and then add it to necklaces, earrings, or bracelets. A cool, natural addition if you ask me.
Coconut Shell Spoons
As you might’ve realised by now—you can carve anything out of a coconut shell. Including a spoon! Though it’s easiest to carve two separate pieces (one for the handle, one for the scoop) and then glue them together. It’ll fit nicely with the bowl!
Summary
There you have it—a few fun and practical coconut recipes and uses for all those coconuts you might find on an island (or buy at home!).
My personal favourites? Definitely the bliss balls and poisson cru.
Also, I should end by saying: raw coconut straight from the shell is hands-down the best way to have it. Here’s an article for more on coconut’s benefits and health effects.
What are your favourite coconut recipes? Got any suggestions for me to try? Or maybe you’ve made one of the things above and want to share how it went? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear!