Coconut Infused Cuisine

The coconut is revered in the cuisines of many Asian countries, so the Asia and Pacific Coconut Community Established World Coconut Day in 2009. Hot on the heels of World Coconut Day, which was celebrated on September 2, here are some local delicacies made entirely of coconut that you could look into bringing into your kitchen.

Beijinhos from Brazil

Beijinhos is a treat made from sweetened condensed milk, butter, and coconut. Rolled into tiny balls, topped with some more shredded coconut and a clove on top, beijinhos are traditionally served at children’s birthday parties but loved by young and old alike. Besides Beijinhos there are several other traditional Brazilian dishes worth trying like Canjica (coconut-based pudding), Quindim (coconut custard cake) and more.

Khow suey from Myanmar

Khow suey is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Burmese food. It is a delicious noodle dish made with egg noodles, curried chicken, and coconut milk. Served with a variety of condiments, each spoon of soup is normally bursting with flavors and is sure to melt your heart away. One can also try simple yet classy banana pudding. Another dish worth trying is the Htamane, a traditional savory snack associated with the rice harvest festival.

Thit Kho from Vietnam

Thit Kho is an iconic Vietnamese side dish that makes the most out of pantry ingredients! Every Vietnamese family has its own version of Thit Kho which is mainly Vietnamese braised pork belly and eggs in coconut water. Besides Thit Kho we can also try coconut candy, Che Dua Trang (rice pudding), coconut sticky rice and lots more.

Buko Pandan from Philippines

This traditional Filipino dessert is a sweet salad. Cubes of green pandan jelly float in a mixture of shredded coconut, tropical fruit, and sweet coconut cream or sweetened condensed milk. Buko pandan is traditionally served at a Filipino salu-salo, a dinner party or gathering of friends, and is especially popular around the holidays.

Haupia from Hawaii

The beautiful island has its own distinct cuisine and desserts. One such well-known delicacy is Haupia, which has special meaning for the locals. Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian dessert (or snack) made from coconut milk and served in small cut squares or as a pudding. It can also be used in dessert recipes like pie, ice cream, hand pies, cake, fruit salad, and others.