Cooking with coconut oil lends an exotic note to your cooking
Whether coconut oil, coconut milk or coconut flakes – the sweet flavour of coconut products adds a hint of the exotic.
The fruit of the tropical coconut tree is turned into a number of products. The most popular is coconut oil, which is made from the dried flesh of the coconut, known as copra. Particularly cold pressed virgin coconut oil is gaining popularity due to its high heat resistance and nutty flavour. Other coconut products like coconut milk or coconut flakes, which are also made from the 1 to 2 centimetre thick coconut flesh, have already made their way into most kitchens as ingredients for cake, dessert or Asian inspired dishes.
Calories |
895 kcal per 100g |
Nutrients |
0g carbohydrate, 0g fibre, 99g fat, 0.8g protein per 100 g |
Season |
available year-round |
Storage |
store cool and protected from light at room temperature or on the top shelf of the fridge |
Shelf life |
1 to 2 years |
As the flash point of coconut oil is at 288°C, it is ideal for frying or roasting. In its natural state, coconut oil is solid and white. Once heated to 23 to 26°C, the oil turns liquid, clear and loses its distinctive coconut aroma, meaning you can cook with it even if you don’t want to add any coconut flavour.
Due to its high saturated fat content coconut oil should be used sparingly. However, it is more suited to being heated than other plant oils, which are rich in unsaturated fat. This type of fat, although very healthy, oxidises at high temperature and is converted into free radicals, which harm the body. Despite this, coconut oil should not completely replace rapeseed oil and other oils.
Aside from coconut oil, there are plenty of other coconut products that are equally useful. Coconut flakes, like coconut oil, are made using copra. Coconut milk is made by blending the coconut flesh with water and then passing the mixture through a sieve. Its creamy consistency makes it a good replacement for cream in sauces and curries and balances out spiciness, while coconut flakes are a popular ingredient for cakes, biscuits or muffins. Replacing some of the flour with the flakes also makes the dough loose and lends a summery, slightly exotic flavour. Or, try adding some coconut flakes to your muesli or yoghourt for an interesting spin.
As coconut oil loses its flavour once heated, a better option for adding some coconut flavour is to use coconut flavouring. Just a few drops of the highly concentrated liquid are enough for a distinctive taste. Although there is natural coconut extract, flavouring is usually artificially produced and doesn’t contain many of the valuable nutrients like fibre that coconut oil, flakes and milk contain.
The mild, nutty and slightly exotic flavour of coconut can add an interesting twist to most dishes. To start your morning off well, add 1 ½ tablespoons of melted coconut oil to your blender with 2 cups of unsweetened cashew milk, 1 cup of frozen mango and 1 cup of pineapple to make a delicious and nutritious creamy tropical smoothie. Another option is to season your salad with a fresh, zesty coriander and coconut oil dressing: combine coriander, the zest and juice of a lime, coconut milk, sugar, mustard and some jalapenos for a bit of spice in a blender. While blending, drizzle in some coconut oil until the mixture has emulsified.
Coconut oil contains metabolism boosting fatty acids, which make it ideal for anyone trying to lose some weight. The fat contained in coconut oil is metabolised differently to most other fats, making it less easy for the body to store. Try replacing your cooking fats like olive oil with coconut oil to reap some of the weight loss advantages. The solid consistency means it can even be used to replace butter as a spread on bread. Around 30 grams, or two tablespoons of coconut oil, a day are enough to enjoy the benefits.
RELATED TAGS
MyFooby Login
You must log in to your MyFooby account to save recipes. Still no account? Register now!
Log in with Supercard IDNo Supercard ID yet?
The Supercard ID is the unique login for all of Coop’s digital services.
Register for Supercard IDChoose a cookbook
Like this recipe?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
L'article te plait ?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
Do you want to remove this recipe?
Do you want to delete the recipe permanently and remove it from all cookbooks?
Supprimer l'article complètement ?
Do you really want to delete this article from your cookbook?
Successfully saved!
Saving failed!
Please log in!
Log on now – easily and conveniently – to FOOBY with your Supercard ID, save the shopping list on all your devices and benefit from additional advantages.
The recipe has been saved in your shopping list under myFOOBY.
Unfortunately, the shopping list was not saved.
Like this recipe?
Now you can user your Supercard ID to log in to FOOBY easily and conveniently and make use of all the functions and advantages.
Choose a cookbook:
L'article te plait ?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
Supprimer l'article complètement ?
Do you really want to delete this article from your cookbook?
Remove recipe?
Do you really want to remove this recipe from the cookbook?
Delete the entire recipe?
Do you really want to delete this recipe from your cookbook?
Successfully saved!
Like this recipe?
Log in with your Supercard ID to have access to a cookbook with your favourite recipes from all your devices.
L'article te plait ?
ith myFooby, you can not only access your saved recipes on all your devices, but also save interesting stories and helpful cooking instructions and easily refer back to them.
