Coconut Pulse

The last thing you want to do is blend your coconut flesh into oblivion. For this recipe, we still want to have tiny chunks of coconut flesh in our dessert. On deciding on a name, “coconut dessert” sounded meh and too generic, so in an attempt to be quirky, the name Coconut Pulse seemed apt.  Pulse, after the setting on my blender used for this dessert. Not because coconut could be a pulse, it isn’t.

Coconuts are healthy and a pocket-friendly refreshment option here in many parts of Ghana and other coconut growing countries. The best coconuts I have ever had were coconuts from my dad's cousin's compound in the village of Adzido, in the Volta region. Sweet but not cloyingly so, with soft and jelly-like flesh. Sounds like an exaggeration but they really are the best coconuts I have had and he always made sure our car was filled with these succulent refreshers on our family trips there.

Ordinarily, coconuts are sold by the side of the road. The vendor, usually, a young man, will cut it open for you to enjoy the energizing coconut water. He then cuts the coconut into half so that you have easy access to enjoy the coconut flesh.  If like me, you decide to take the coconuts home to cut them open yourself, then you inevitably prepare mentally for a juggling match of holding the coconut in your left hand, the machete or cutlass in your right. Personally, the fear of hacking off my thumb is real so this becomes a painfully slow and unnecessarily prolonged act. The vendors do it with so much ease and I am amazed every time at their dexterity. Please let someone who knows what they are doing, cut open your coconuts. Judging by the photo above, I did not do too badly.

What is crucial for this dessert is that you choose fresh coconuts. This means, those still have the greenish outer husk. The brown ones (pictured below) are too mature for the purpose, do not typically have enough water and even when they do, it's not a tasty option. Another factor which makes them unsuitable is that the flesh is too dry and hard. These older matured ones are best for making desiccated coconuts or coconut flakes for which I have a stunning recipe coming soon on Ginger & Sea Salt.

An easy way to jazz up this recipe is to add either vanilla or cinnamon but historically I have always kept it fairly simple. This dessert is easy on the pockets and a great alternative if you do not want to go to great lengths to make a dessert but still want to wow your guests. Make sure to prepare this ahead of time, giving it enough time to cool in the fridge before serving.