Ingredients
The nut
- 1germinating coconut
- with a shoot growing from it
Equipment
- a heavy knife or machete
- a spoon
Sometimes eaten with
- nothing at all
- a pinch of salt
- toddy syrup
Directions
- Shake the nut and listen for water. A nut still full of water is too early.
- Set it on the ground or a solid block.
- Turn the nut round as you tap it.
- Scoop it out with a spoon or your fingers. It should come out largely whole.
Technique
- The sprout is the haustorium, an organ the coconut seedling grows to absorb its own stored food before it has leaves of its own.
- The right stage is a nut with a shoot about a hand long and little or no water left sloshing inside, since by then the haustorium has filled the cavity.
- Kiribati sits on low coral atolls where thin sand supports very few crops, so the coconut palm carries much of the diet.
Substitutions
- There is no substitute, since it exists only inside a germinating coconut.
- Sprouted coconuts are sold in some Asian and Pacific markets as coconut apple.
Variations
- Some people eat it with a pinch of salt or a little toddy syrup.
- The soft spongy flesh of the same sprouted nut is eaten alongside it.
- The same sprout is eaten across the Pacific, South Asia and the Caribbean.
History
An atoll food available whenever nuts sprout, valued on low islands where fresh produce is otherwise scarce.
Frequently asked questions
What is Coconut Sprout?
Coconut Sprout is a snack from Kiribati: spongy sweet embryo inside a germinating coconut, scooped out and eaten raw. An atoll food available whenever nuts sprout, valued on low islands where fresh produce is otherwise scarce.
How long does Coconut Sprout take to make?
Coconut Sprout takes 10 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 1 sprout per nut. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Coconut Sprout?
Yes, within limits. There is no substitute, since it exists only inside a germinating coconut. Sprouted coconuts are sold in some Asian and Pacific markets as coconut apple.
