The Magic of Coconuts For Cooking and Health

Book excerpt: The Magic of Coconuts For Cooking and Health Table of Contents Introduction The Power of Coconut Oil Which Coconuts To Plant Coconut Birdhouse Growing of Coconuts in a Nursery Where to Grow a Coconut Harvesting coconuts. Other Uses of Coconuts How to Make Coconut Butter Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk Coconut Cream Coconut Milk Comes First How to Make Coconut Cream Last Longer Coconuts in Cuisine Indonesian Chili Chicken Simple Coconut Chutney Traditional South Indian Coconut Chutney Traditional Coconut Pudding Conclusion Author Bio Introduction The moment you hear the word “nut” you visualize a small, well, nut with a hard shell, which needs to be removed. So how did the coconut get to be called a nut, when it is definitely not a nut, but a drupe? Whether drupe or nut, the name Coco was given to this native of South America, by Spanish explorers, because they thought that it resembled the face of a monkey [Coco.] In fact, the eyes as well as the hairy appearance of the enough, made them think of a monkey, but in ancient eastern mythology, it was considered to be the face of Lord Shiva the destroyer in Hindu mythology who had three eyes For generations, the coconut has been considered to be the tree of life, because it has provided people down the ages, with everything they wished. Oil, juice, food to eat in the shape of coconut meat, coconut milk and everything nourishing, which you can get from the coconut is readily available at hand. All you have to do is climb the tree like a Coco and gather coconuts. Did you know that more than one third of the world subsists on coconuts for survival? Many Countries have based their economies on coconut products. And that is why, in many parts of the East, cutting down the coconut tree is taboo, because of its spiritual, emotional, and traditional associated bond with human beings. Coconuts are extremely rich in minerals, vitamins and in fiber. Doctors in coastal areas know that they do not have to worry about any harm coming to victims of typhoons and epidemics, as long as they are coconuts around. Asian, Eastern and Pacific cultures have long use the products of coconut, for healing and curing, especially in alternative medicines. Coconut oil is considered to be the best moisturizer as well as healing base for medical preparations since ancient times. So everything from massaging to conditioning your hair and making beauty cosmetics from coconut have been a part of Eastern, Pacific and Asian culture for millenniums. The West has finally woken up to the medical and healing potential of the coconut and its products. Thanks to extensive research being done in the UK and in the USA, people have got to know all about the healing power of the coconut. However, it was only when Jennifer Aniston was seen in the supermarket with lots of coconuts, that it began to become really popular in America as a healthy food item. Until then, it was just used as a hair conditioner or a skin moisturizer and in other natural beauty preparations. Nobody can suffer from malnutrition or dehydration, if you have a coconut tree around. It is surprising how recently modern research has found out that coconuts are both antiviral and antibacterial. In ancient Eastern medicine, people knew how to cure throat infections, mouth infections, bladder and urinary infections, kidney related diseases, influenza, pneumonia and other diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi for millenniums. In fact, if you had a tree of life in your garden, you would live almost as long as did the tree. That is because you were eating itself the fruit, which would keep you healthy and with a strong autoimmune system throughout your life.