Ingredients:
2 cups freshly grated coconut (about 1/2 a coconut)
1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
1 cup turbinado sugar
sturdy grater (I like mine finely grated, with some thick grated pieces for variation. A microplane grater or rotary cheese grater works best)
Optional: 1/2 tsp coconut oil, 1 tsp honey
The most time consuming part of making this candy is freeing and grating the coconut. Start by finding the coconut's "eyes"--those three little indentations. Push on them to find the softest eye (often the biggest one). Take a drill bit that's smaller than the eye hole (but big enough to drain the coconut water) and start screwing in into the softest hole, until it breaks through the meat inside. You can also drill through the eye, but make sure you have someone there to hold the coconut stable for you. Drain the coconut water into a glass container for later use, or drink it straight up. (Refrigerate and use within 2 days tops, or freeze in an ice-cube tray. You can use it to replace regular water in cooking/baking/smoothie making, or add a couple tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar and soak your hair in it or use it as a face astringent. Mmm, coconut brown rice with Thai curry.)
After I drain the coconut water I usually just take the coconut outside and throw it at the ground until it cracks in half, or repeatedly hit it around the meridian against a hard edge. Remove the meat from the coconut by cutting a slit out of it and then prying around the edge with a knife. It'll come out in chunks. Video of the method I use here, and here is another method that uses a freezer/refrigerator.
The most time consuming part of making this candy is freeing and grating the coconut. Start by finding the coconut's "eyes"--those three little indentations. Push on them to find the softest eye (often the biggest one). Take a drill bit that's smaller than the eye hole (but big enough to drain the coconut water) and start screwing in into the softest hole, until it breaks through the meat inside. You can also drill through the eye, but make sure you have someone there to hold the coconut stable for you. Drain the coconut water into a glass container for later use, or drink it straight up. (Refrigerate and use within 2 days tops, or freeze in an ice-cube tray. You can use it to replace regular water in cooking/baking/smoothie making, or add a couple tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar and soak your hair in it or use it as a face astringent. Mmm, coconut brown rice with Thai curry.)
After I drain the coconut water I usually just take the coconut outside and throw it at the ground until it cracks in half, or repeatedly hit it around the meridian against a hard edge. Remove the meat from the coconut by cutting a slit out of it and then prying around the edge with a knife. It'll come out in chunks. Video of the method I use here, and here is another method that uses a freezer/refrigerator.
Grate the coconut and set aside in a bowl. Then mince the ginger finely and stir it into the coconut. Refrigerate for an hourish until it's nice and cold. After it has chilled, pour the turbinado sugar into a sauce pan on medium heat, shaking it back and fourth in the pan every minute or so. After 3-5 minutes it should start to melt around the edges. Keep shaking the sugar around. more frequently now, so it doesn't burn. As the sugar starts melting into a caramely looking sauce, reduce the heat to low, stir it up so it's all melted, and quickly add the coconut. Mix well so all the coconut is sugar coated. If you want a softer, chewier candy, add the coconut oil and honey. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes until it's cool enough to work with. Scoop up about 1 tbsp of the mixture and roll into balls (light pressure is key. I also wash my hands if they start getting too sticky). Place on a plate/cookie sheet and put in the fridge to cool and harden. Store in the fridge and serve chilled.
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