The Versatile Coconut

The abundance of local fruits in your own backyard provides the creative cook with many ways to prepare local cuisine.  My dad has two tall coconut trees in his front yard at his home in a village in Kuching.  On really hot, humid days, there is nothing like fresh iced cold, young coconut water to quench your thirst.

Here's a recipe, using coconut juice to make a chicken dish.

Herbal chicken with coconut water

Ingredients:

1 coconut (young or mature coconut)
Pieces of chicken meat
Herbs (ginseng or other chinese herbs)
Steamer

Method:

1. Wash and cut top of coconut top half way off, leaving coconut meat and water intact

2. Fill a steamer with water
3. Place washed chicken meat into the cut coconut
4. Add in the herbs
5. Steam slowly until chicken is tender and coconut herbal soup is fragrant.
6. Serve.