街市THE WET MARKET
Young coconut
椰青
A young coconut, its husk pared white and trimmed to a point, holding a large cupful of clear, sweet water and a thin layer of soft flesh. The coconut-water chicken hotpot uses that water as its broth. To skip opening coconuts, buy pure coconut water in cartons, the kind with nothing but coconut water in it and no added sugar. It is not the mature coconut or the king coconut used in slow-boiled soups.
Cautions: read first
- Open young coconuts with a heavy knife on a board steadied with a damp cloth, and keep your hand out from under the blade.
- Fresh coconut water goes in the fridge once opened and is used the same day; opened cartons go in the fridge too.
Preparation
Lay it on its side and strike round the pointed top with the heel of a cleaver until a round lid lifts off; pour the water through a fine sieve to catch any shell, and scrape out the soft flesh with a spoon and cut it into strips.
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
