Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Wednesday's Helping: Macapuno

Sweet young coconut flesh flash
Macapuno lovers like the soft texture, coconut flavor, and sweetness of this ingredient. The use of macapuno (man’ha in Chamorro) in their native cuisines has created a commercial industry within Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands regions of the globe. Macapuno works well in ice cream, candies, and other deserts. Macapuno is made from the soft flesh of young and immature coconuts. The flesh is simmered in water and sugar until the mixture’s consistency resembles syrup. The concoction is cooled and ready for packaging. Commercial farmers in the Philippines have gone a step further and developed mutant coconuts that produce more and better macapuno. The flesh of these coconuts is softer than regular coconuts. Look for macapuno sold in bottles, cans, and frozen packages at many Asian markets. In The Mixed Stew's Ahu recipe, a jar of macapuno may be subtituted for frozen young coconut strings packed in syrup.

No comments:

Post a Comment