| 1 |
Preheat the oven to 350 F. |
| 2 |
Pierce the "eyes" of the coconut with a
screwdriver or ice pick. Drain the clear, sweet liquid (coconut
water) into a bowl to be used as a drink or frozen for future use in
recipes sauch as Prk Simmered in Coconut Milk. |
| 3 |
Bake the drained coconut for 15 to 20 minutes, or
until the shell begins to crack. Remove from the oven and let cool
briefly. Place the nut on a sturdy surface. Using a hammer or
kitchen mallet, crack the nut in half by hitting sharply on the
middle of the coconut. The shell will split apart easily. Remove the
coconut meat from the shell with the point of a paring knife. Pare
off the thin brown skin that clings to the white flesh. |
| 4 |
Pack the coconut meat in the feed tube of a food
processor fitted with a thin slicer blade. Slice, using firm
pressure. |
| 5 |
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the coconut
and boil for 5 minutes. Drain; refresh with cold water and dry on
paper towels. |
| 6 |
Place the sugar and 1-1/2 tablespoons of water in a
large heavy-bottomed pot or copper kettle. Set the pot over moderate
heat to melt the sugar, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Add
the coconut. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, over
moderately low heat until all of the water evaporates and the sugar
crystallizes and becomes dry, about 30 minutes. Remove and allow to
cool. |
| 7 |
Serve with tea or coffee. Candied coconut can be
stored in a glass jar or cookie tin kept at room temperature for up
to 1 month. |
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