Who knew coconut was a superfood?
Last week's Recipe of the Week was a coconut-covered Samoa Pie, which few of us would think of as a health food, but Sasha Seymour's new book "Coconut Every Day: Cooking with Nature's Miracle Superfood" (Pintail; $20) encourages us to think differently about this versatile ingredient that is packed with healthy fats and fiber.
Shredded or flaked coconut has long been used in baking in American kitchens, and Seymour shares 100 recipes for cooking with milk, water, oil, flour and sugar made with coconuts, including muffins and pancakes. These onion fritters use both unsweetened shredded coconut and potassium-rich coconut water.
If you don’t feel like making the fritters, the coconut chutney on its own is an excellent condiment to go with almost anything spicy, Seymour says.
Indian-Spiced Onion Fritters with Coconut Chutney
For the chutney:
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut water
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
For the fritters:
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tbsp. black mustard seeds
2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. chili flakes
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 very large or 2 small white or sweet onions, quartered and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Coconut oil, for frying
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. To make the chutney, combine coconut, coconut water, cilantro, ginger, lime juice and salt in a tall container. Blitz with an immersion blender until well combined. (Or process in a blender or food processor.) Mixture will not be perfectly smooth. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so the coconut can absorb some of the liquid.
To make the fritters: In a large bowl, stir together water, chickpea flour, brown rice flour, coconut, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, chili flakes, coriander, salt and baking soda until well mixed. Let batter sit for about 15 minutes. Stir in onions and cilantro leaves until onions are well coated.
Heat about 1/4-inch coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, working in batches, drop batter by the heaped tablespoon (to make a 2-inch fritter) into oil. Fry gently until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes a side.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while you repeat with the rest of the batter. Add more coconut oil to the pan if it is becoming dry. Fritters can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.
— From "Coconut Every Day: Cooking with Nature's Miracle Superfood" by Sasha Seymour (Pintail; $20)
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