Coconut jam has a delicious flavor and is extremely easy to make, so every Tet holiday, people get together in the kitchen to show off their jam-making skills. In this article, Bếp Eva will share with you how to make soft young coconut jam to welcome the Lunar New Year of 2023. Let’s find out together!
How to Make Delicious Young Coconut Jam for Tet
Ingredients:
– 400g young coconut meat
– 1 teaspoon of salt
– ½ lemon
– 200g white sugar
– 20ml fresh milk
– 1 tube of vanilla extract
Tips for Choosing Young Coconuts for Jam
– Buying whole coconuts
When buying whole coconuts to make jam, you can apply the following trick to ensure you pick young coconuts:
+ Observe the coconut stem. Gently scrape the shell in the stem area with your fingernail. If you can easily scrape off the shell, it is a young coconut.
– Buying coconut meat
In addition to buying whole coconuts, you can also find places that sell young coconut meat. If you’re buying coconut meat, look for the following characteristics:
+ The coconut meat should be a fresh white color.
+ When you press the coconut meat with your finger, it should feel soft and flexible, not hard.
+ The coconut should release a milky-colored liquid with a fragrant, buttery smell.
+ When you gently scrape the outer layer, the brown shell should come off easily.
Steps to Make Young Coconut Jam
Step 1: Prepare the Coconut
– Separate the coconut meat from the shell and peel off the dark, rough outer layer.
Pro Tip:
To quickly and easily separate the coconut meat from the shell, you can try one of these two tricks:
– First method: Hold the coconut over a flame to heat up the shell before attempting to separate the meat.
– Second method: If you have an oven, simply place the whole coconut inside and bake at 225 degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees Celsius) for about 20 minutes. This will make separating the meat much easier.
– Rinse the coconut meat with water and let it air dry.
– Cut the coconut meat into bite-sized pieces. You can cut it into strips, cubes, or any shape you prefer.
Step 2: Soak the Coconut
– An important tip in the recipe for making coconut jam that many people overlook is soaking the coconut.
– Mix water with 1 teaspoon of salt and the juice of half a lemon. Soak the coconut pieces in this mixture for about 30 minutes.
– Soaking the coconut in lemon-salt water helps to clean it more thoroughly, and it also makes the coconut jam look whiter when it’s cooked.
Step 3: Rinse the Coconut
– After soaking, remove the coconut pieces from the lemon-salt water and rinse them with clean water. Rinse them about 10 times to remove any remaining coconut oil. Make sure the rinsing water is clear, with no oily residue.
– If possible, rinse the coconut with warm water at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius). This temperature will help remove the coconut oil more effectively.
– Rinsing the coconut thoroughly is crucial. If you don’t rinse it enough, the coconut oil may remain and cause the jam to become watery and not set properly.
– After rinsing, place the coconut pieces on a rack to air dry.
Step 4: Marinate the Coconut with Sugar
Depending on your preference for sweetness, you’ll need to adjust the amount of sugar. For 400g of coconut meat, you can use between 200 and 300g of white sugar.
– Place the sugar and coconut meat in a tray and mix well with chopsticks or a spoon until the sugar is evenly distributed.
– Let the coconut marinate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the sugar to dissolve and absorb into the coconut.
– You’ll know the coconut is ready when the pieces turn translucent.
Note: If you’re using colored coconuts, add the food coloring at this step. During the marination process, mix the coconut and sugar a few times to ensure even distribution.
Step 5: Cook the Coconut
– After the coconut has marinated for a sufficient amount of time, it’s ready to be cooked. Place a non-stick pan on the stove and add the coconut mixture.
– Initially, set the stove to high heat. Avoid stirring the coconut too much during this stage.
– Once the coconut mixture starts to thicken and the liquid reduces, turn the heat down to low and begin stirring.
Pro Tip:
– Using a non-stick pan helps prevent the jam from sticking to the pan and ensures that the sugar coating on the outside of the coconut pieces looks better.
– Stirring continuously will result in more delicious and softer jam.
– As the mixture thickens, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and add 20ml of fresh milk along with the vanilla extract.
– Continue stirring until the coconut is well coated with the sugar, milk, and vanilla mixture. You’ll know it’s ready when you feel resistance while stirring. Turn off the heat when you see a white powder forming on the outside of the coconut pieces.
Note: Even after turning off the heat, continue stirring a few more times until the coconut pieces are completely dry.
Step 6: Dry the Coconut
– After cooking, spread the coconut pieces on a tray and let them air dry in front of a fan or in the sun.
– Drying the coconut jam completely will enhance its flavor and extend its shelf life.
Step 7: Enjoy Your Coconut Jam
Once the jam is dry, serve it on a plate and enjoy it with a cup of hot tea. It’s a perfect match!
Store any leftover jam in an airtight glass jar to prevent it from becoming soggy and watery. To further extend its shelf life, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar at the bottom of the jar before adding the jam.
How to Color Coconut Jam
In addition to the traditional white coconut jam, you can also make colorful jam for a more vibrant presentation.
Orange Coconut Jam
Follow the same recipe as the traditional coconut jam, but to achieve an orange color, you can use gac fruit (a type of Southeast Asian fruit with a bright orange flesh).
For every 400g of young coconut meat, use 2 to 3 tablespoons of gac fruit flesh, depending on your desired intensity of color.
Green Coconut Jam
To make green coconut jam, you can use pandan leaves, which not only add a beautiful green color but also impart a wonderful fragrance.
– Rinse the pandan leaves and let them air dry.
– Blend the pandan leaves with water to create a smooth, thick paste.
– Strain the pandan paste through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any fibrous residue, and it’s ready to use.
Purple Coconut Jam
To achieve a beautiful purple color, you can use butterfly pea flowers or leaves.
– Rinse the butterfly pea leaves or flowers and place them in a pot.
– Add water and boil the leaves or flowers. The boiling process will release a vibrant purple color into the water.
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