Lime Syrup Pancake

You will need



• 1 cup milk or thin coconut cream
• 1 egg (optional)
• 3 cups wholemeal or plain flour, sifted
• 3–4 tablespoons oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 6 teaspoons sugar

Method


1. Beat egg in a bowl, add milk or coconut
cream and mix well.
2. Gradually add the liquid mixture to the
flour and mix until a smooth batter is
formed. Leave for half an hour.
3. Heat a frying pan, then add just enough
oil to coat the base.
4. Add enough batter to thinly coat the
bottom of the pan. Allow to cook for a
few seconds until lightly browned at the
bottom. Turn the pancake and brown the
other side.
5. Turn over onto plate, place one teaspoon
of lime juice in the middle and add
one teaspoon of sugar. Roll and serve on a
clean plate.
Method
Note: Preserved

Mango:

Mango is one of the most delicious, aromatic and tasty fruits widely grown
in the Pacific. The trees are said to have originated from India, Burma and
Malaysia, where they were cultivated 4,000 years ago 
.
The mango is a member of the cashew
family . It can grow to
about 15–18 m (50–60 ft) high and has
narrow, dark green leaves. Mangoes are
normally grown from grafts or budded
plants. After about six years the tree will
begin to fruit.
Different varieties are found in the
Pacific. The fruits are round or oval. They
vary in size, but usually weigh 250–800 g
and are about 100–125 mm (4–5 in)
long and 50–75 mm (2–3 in) in diameter. When ripe the skin colour may
remain green or turn from green to a yellowish, orange or red colour.
Mango is very seasonal and usually ripens during the summer months.
Ripe mangoes are very juicy and sweet. Some varieties may be stringy or
have a turpentine-like flavour. These were identified as wild varieties common
in the early days . Those with very short fibres and
smooth textures are more popular than the stringy varieties.
Selection
The choice of fruit depends on the intended use. Varieties with small seeds
and lower fibre content are probably best. All fruits should be firm and free
of bruises and blemishes. In addition, ripe mangoes should be wholesome,
and have a good colour and a sweet, fresh mango smell. Try one and cut it
open to determine the quality before buying a larger quantity. Mature,
unripe mangoes should be undamaged, without bruises and should still be
very firm. In our climate it is best to get half-ripe fruit and complete the
ripening under controlled conditions. When picking fruit, care must be
taken to wash the sap off the skin, because it is caustic .

Storage
Store half-ripe fruits in a well-ventilated place. Fruits are best placed in single
rows on wire shelves covered with cloth to prevent bruising. Ripe fruits are
best stored covered at 10–13°C for a number of days 
. For longer storage, store the sliced flesh or puree in the
freezer. Sliced flesh can also be preserved by drying or bottling.
Mature or unripe mango can be stored at room temperature for a few days
before ripening. It can also be refrigerated for up to two weeks before
ripening at room temperature.
Preparation
Wash fruit well before use. Mangoes can be eaten with the skin, but are
nearly always peeled before use. The skin of mature or half-ripe fruits is
removed with a sharp knife, starting from the wider end and working
towards the tip. Subsequent preparation will depend on intended use.
To prepare ripe mango without peeling, slice off the ‘cheeks’, and then the
two narrow sides. Make a few lengthwise cuts in the flesh without cutting
the skin, and peel the skin back from the flesh. Alternatively, cut into cubes
without cutting the skin, hold the ‘cheek’ by the edges with both hands,
push the centre of the skin to form a hollow and allow the cut flesh to pop
up. This makes eating or removing the flesh easier.
Puree the cut flesh if needed. The flesh of damaged fruits can be sliced and made
into drink. Mature or half-ripe fruits can be peeled, grated and used as desired.
Food value
Mango flesh is an excellent source of Vitamin C and carotene. The fruit
also contains small amounts of potassium, other minerals and vitamins. One
hundred grams of ripe mango flesh provides 268 kJ or 65 kcal and about
41 mg of Vitamin C.
Use
Ripe mangoes are eaten raw, used in drinks, salads and cooked desserts, or
made into jam. They can also be used as part of a main dish, for garnish, to
enhance flavour and provide colour. Unripe mature mangoes can be grated
and mixed with freshly grated coconut to produce a delicious dessert or
a drink. Green mangoes are also used in curries, salads and to make chutneys

Prawns in Coconut Cream/Milk

You will need



• 750 g medium green prawns
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1–2 red chillies, seeded, chopped (optional)
• 8 curry leaves
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 cups coconut cream/milk
• 1/2–1 teaspoon salt


Method



1. Peel and de-vein the prawns.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add onion and
cook until soft. Add garlic, chilli, turmeric
and curry leaves. Stir over medium heat for
1 minute.
3. Add coconut and salt. Simmer over low
heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add prawns and stir gently. Simmer for
another 10 minutes or until the prawns are
tender. Serve hot.

Coconut Mint Chutney

You will need



• 150 g freshly grated coconut
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 11/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 chilli (optional)


Method



1. Put coconut in a blender and add onion,
chilli, salt and well washed coriander leaves.
2. Blend till all ingredients are finely
chopped. Chutney should become a pale
green colour.
3. Add lemon juice and stir well just before
serving.
4. This chutney goes well with any curry.

Coconut:

The coconut palm is probably the most valuable agricultural commodity of
the Pacific. It is said to have more uses than any other living plant. Every
part of the plant has some important use .
It provides food, drink and shelter. The
importance of coconut as a food is illustrated
in the fact that it is listed as a separate
group of foods in the Pacific Islands Food
Composition Tables .
It is a plant that is probably taken for granted
by Pacific Islanders.
The coconut is a very hardy plant. It can
grow well in all kinds of soil, even in poorer
ones on atolls, and can stand some dry weather. Coconut palms adapt to
the place where they are grown in terms of climate, soil and amount of
water . However, they grow best in mild tropical climates.
Under good conditions, a fully productive palm yields 12–16 bunches of
coconuts a year and drops as many leaves. The number of nuts in a bunch
varies from season to season, but each bunch should carry 8–10 nuts or
more . Nuts are available throughout the year.
For commercial coconut plantations, coconut is propagated by seed-nuts
chosen from the mother or parent palm. The shape and size of the nut is
important. Experts say that the best nuts are round or egg-shaped. Medium
or large size is best. The husk must be thin. Very large nuts have a lot of
water with a thin kernel; long ones usually have too much husk. The leaves
of a good parent palm should be evenly distributed on the crown, and
should have short, broad stalks. If you stand at the foot of a healthy, highyielding
palm and look upwards through the crown, you should not see any
light or the sky .
Many different varieties now grow in the Pacific: the tall, the dwarf, and the
cross between the tall and dwarf . The colour of the young
nut may be green, light yellow or orange-brick but all turn brown when
mature. The size of the nuts varies from relatively large to fairly small
(about the size of an adult’s fist), depending on the variety

The ripe or mature nut usually falls on the ground. The stage of maturity
determines the use and nutritional value.
Ingredients from coconut
As an ingredient, coconut comes in a variety
of products.
Coconut flesh — whole or shredded
The fresh kernel of the mature nut is
removed in strips from the shell with a knife.
It can also be shredded using a shell, spoon
or special grater. It is used as a snack, fresh or
toasted or sprinkled on savoury or sweet
dishes. The flesh of the green nut is thinner,
softer, and is usually removed with a spoon
after the water has been emptied or drunk.
Coconut cream/milk
Cream is the white creamy fluid extracted from the grated kernel of the
mature nut without water. When water is added to dilute it, it is sometimes
called coconut milk and has the appearance of dairy milk. Both
products are used extensively for cooking. Coconut cream/milk is now
available in cans and packets in stores.
Coconut juice or water
This is the colourless liquid contained within both the mature and young
fruit. Green coconut juice makes a delicious, cool, fresh drink.
Desiccated coconut
This is the commercially prepared product. It is the finely shredded,
dried white flesh of the mature nut and is sold in stores.
Germinating nut
This is the white ‘germ’ inside the mature nut that has been allowed to
sprout. It is essentially the food of the new plant and is obtained by splitting
open the sprouting nut.

Toddy
This is the sap collected from the flower bud (spathe) of the coconut tree.
It can be either fresh or preserved (syrup). Toddy is a common product in
the atolls.
Selection
Mature nut
Nuts are selected according to use. The un-husked nut should
have a dry, light-brown outer skin. For husked nuts, choose the
fresh, brown, newly husked ones with black eyes and without
signs of sprouting. There should be plenty of water. If the nut
has no water, or if it makes a heavy thudding sound when shaken, or if there
are signs of sprouting, it should be rejected as it will not produce goodquality
coconut cream.
Green nut
Young or half-mature nuts are also judged by the
sound produced when flicked or tapped with the finger.
The reliability of this method comes with practice
and experience. Generally, a more muffled sound
means the nut is not ready for drinking; it either has no
flesh or the flesh is still very thin, and the water is generally
tasteless. A lighter sound means it is a good
drinking nut. The flesh will have been formed sufficiently,
is still soft, and the juice is likely to have more
flavour.
Germinating nut
Germinating nuts should be starting to sprout, but the nut should
be easily picked off the ground. If the sprout is just starting
to show, the germ will not have been fully formed.
Toddy
Fresh toddy should be clean and free of insects and coconut flowers. It
should not have any fermentation smell. Preserved toddy should have a
thick but pouring syrup consistency. It should not have any evidence of fermentation

Storage
Mature nut
Storage life will depend on maturity. Mature or brown
nuts will keep for a longer period (months) if unhusked,
although they tend to sprout and dry out during
long storage. Husked mature nuts do not keep so
well. They must be kept in a cool place away from sunlight,
preferably covered to prevent drying out and cracking. If stored this
way, they may last up to two to three weeks.
Grated nut and cream
Grated mature nuts and cream do not keep well at room temperature. They may
last at the most a day or even less. If refrigerated, the cream may last two days
while the grated kernel may last three to four days. They keep longer frozen.
Green nut
Green nuts are best used soon after picking. If they have
to be stored, keep in a cool place. If un-husked, green
nuts can keep for three to four days after harvesting
without losing flavour. However, husked nuts are best
used immediately. They can keep for three to four days
if kept in a cooler or refrigerator.
Toddy
Fresh toddy must be used immediately after collection. If it is to last the rest
of the day, it must be boiled to sterilise it. For longer storage, fresh toddy
should be boiled and reduced to a thick but flowing syrup consistency, and
stored in a sterilised bottle with a tight top. Check regularly for signs of fermentation
and re-boil if necessary.
Preparation
Mature nuts
Mature nuts are cracked in half by hitting the three veins with a cane knife
or heavy instrument at the mid-point between the top and bottom. To
ensure a clean, even crack,

The two halves are then grated by hand, using a scraper with a rough, serrated
tip. In some countries the grating is done by machine. Place the
scraper on a box or low stool and put a bowl to collect the grated nut under
the tip. To grate, sit on the body of the scraper and, holding the half nut
with both hands, apply pressure on it and scrape, beginning at the outer
edge and working towards the inner part. Repeat the
action, rotating the nut after each scrape. Continue until
all the kernel or flesh has been grated.
The water from mature nuts may be saved and used to
mix with the grated flesh for making cream. Frozen,
grated, mature nut needs to be thawed and brought to
room temperature and mixed with warm water to extract
the cream. While extracting the cream, stand the bowl of grated
nut in a bowl of warm water to facilitate the process.
Coconut cream
This is made by kneading the grated nut and then wringing it,
using a special wringer made from coconut or pandanus-root
fibres, or a cloth. Thick cream is made without or with very little water and
thin or diluted coconut cream (or milk) is made by kneading the grated
flesh of one nut with about 3/4–1 cup of water or more. To prevent fat
separating and causing curdling during boiling, add about 1/2 tablespoon
cornflour to every cup of cream. Mix well and heat until it begins to thicken
before adding to the recipe. Frozen cream needs to be brought back to
room temperature before use.
Green nut
There are several ways of preparing green coconut:
1. Cut the husk off the ‘eye’ end with a sharp, heavy knife and make a small
hole to release the juice; or
2. Husk the nut and either pierce the big eye (‘nose’) with a pointed knife,
or hold the nut upside down and cut the tip end off; or
3. Remove the husk from the bottom end with a sharp heavy knife and
open it by cutting off the tip of the shell. The immature flesh of the nut
can be removed by splitting the empty nut and scraping it out with a
specially cut piece of green husk or spoon