Coconuts are a three-in-one deal, giving us refreshing coconut water, coconut meat, and rich coconut milk. Whether you’re buying these products off the shelf or cracking a fresh coconut and extracting them yourself, try these excellent recipes that use them all
Chef Louis Tikaram often serves this version of kokoda, a mild Fijian-style ceviche, to suit the rest of his Southeast Asian–influenced menu at E.P. & L.P. in Los Angeles. “The original kokoda is so subtle. This spin helps it stand up against those crazy flavors,” he says.
Recipe: Thai-Inspired Kokoda
Originally from Brazil, this Sunset reader conveys the flavors of her native land through this easy, excitingly spicy recipe.
Recipe: Coconut Milk Shrimp
When you’re craving a deep, rich, soulful stew without meat, this vegan dish is what you should fix.
Bold and rich, like a Malaysian coconut-milk stew, this marinade gives shrimp fast flavor.
Here’s an ideal recipe for a chilly winter weeknight: It uses storebought curry paste and comes together in well under an hour.
Recipe: Thai Chicken and Noodle Curry
Naturally sweet carrots are a great pairing with the warm spices of curry. A simple drizzle of yogurt is all this dish needs for a satisfying topping.
Recipe: Curried Carrot Coconut Soup
Reader Renée Davis of Seattle originally made this recipe with her favorite fish, opah, when visiting Hawaii, but she also makes it with halibut, which is easier to find.
Often called tom kha gai, this coconut milk based soup is a rich and flavorful alternative to traditional chicken soup.
Recipe: Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
Who says skewers have to be savory? These fruit wedges, grilled till smoky, are eaten with a thick, rich sauce of toasted sugar and coconut milk.
Sweet and tangy, crunchy and creamy—this recipe delivers a perfect combination of flavors and textures in each bite. A touch of gelatin in the lime curd helps it set enough to slice cleanly.
Recipe: Raspberry, Lime, and Coconut Pie
Chef Amber Bonny Burhans tells us these buttery cupcakes are one of her signature dishes. We think they are a safe bet to sweeten any gathering.
Recipe: Coconut Cupcakes
If you’ve never liked rice pudding, give this recipe a try. And if you’re already an R.P. fan, it’ll make you weak in the knees. Coconut milk and brown sweet rice combine to make a rich, silky dessert that isn’t cloying. Tangy-sweet dried apricots on top give it a brightness and intensity.
Recipe: Coconut Brown Rice Pudding
You can make these cookies up to 1 week ahead; cover airtight and store at room temperature.
Recipe: Coconut Nest Cookies
Coconut water’s delicate sweetness comes to the fore in this simple drink. Chef Louis Tikaram, of LA’s E.P. & L.P. restaurant, likes to use vanilla-scented Fijian rum— “It’s the flavor I grew up with,” he says—but suggests you use just a little, because the liquor can mask the coconut flavor.
Recipe: Rum Coconut Water
Try this rich Puerto Rican–style treat with or without the rum.
– Inspired by Mike Siwek, Phoenix
Recipe: Coconut Eggnog