Coconut jam is a traditional Vietnamese specialty, often made during the Lunar New Year. Coconut jam has a sweet, fragrant coconut flavor, combined with an attractive color, very suitable for enjoying during family gatherings or entertaining guests.
How to make coconut jam is quite simple:
1.Choose coconut
When making coconut jam, people often choose fresh coconut, not too old or too young, to get soft, flexible and not too dry coconut flesh. Specifically, the most suitable types of coconut for making jam are:
- Siamese coconut: This is the most popular type of coconut for making coconut jam. Siamese coconut flesh is soft, flexible, has natural sweetness and is not too dry, suitable for making coconut jam that is flexible, not hard.
- Fresh coconut (thick coconut): Fresh coconut has thick flesh, not too hard but not too thin, helping to make coconut jam sweet, flexible without being crumbly.
- Moderately old coconut: Old coconut but not too old, when grated, it will produce coconut fibers with moderate toughness, very suitable for making jam while still retaining the natural flavor of coconut.
Coconut jam makers should also choose coconuts with clean outer shells, without cracks or damage, as this will help ensure the quality of the coconut flesh when processed.
2. Processing
The process of making coconut jam is quite simple but requires meticulousness to create a delicious, chewy and moderately sweet coconut jam. Below are detailed instructions on how to make coconut jam:
- Prepare coconut: Choose fresh coconut, coconut of the right age (not too old or too young). Peel off the shell and take the coconut meat inside. Use a knife to scrape the coconut meat into small strands or use a coconut shredder if available. The coconut fibers should not be too thick or too thin, about 0.5 cm is enough.
- Wash and soak the coconut: To remove some of the oil in the coconut meat and prevent the jam from being greasy, soak the coconut fibers in diluted salt water for about 1 hour. After soaking, remove the coconut, rinse with cold water so that the coconut is no longer salty and oily.
- Mix the sugar: Put the washed coconut fibers in a large bowl, then mix with sugar. The amount of sugar is usually twice the amount of coconut, depending on the desired sweetness. Mix well to coat the coconut fibers with sugar, let stand for about 1-2 hours for the sugar to soak into the coconut.
3. Cook the jam
Put the coconut and sugar mixture in a pan (a wide, deep pan will be easier to cook) and start cooking over low heat.
While cooking, stir constantly so that the coconut jam does not burn or stick to the pan.
Continue cooking until the coconut jam is soft, no longer wet with sugar, and the layer of sugar on the coconut strands begins to dry. This process can last from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the amount of coconut and the heat.
4. Add color and flavor
If you want the coconut jam to have an eye-catching color, you can divide the jam into small portions and add natural food coloring to each portion. For example, use pandan leaf juice to create green color, beetroot powder to create red color, or use gac fruit to create orange color.
At the same time, you can add a little vanilla or flavoring to enhance the aroma of the jam.
5. Finish and cool:
- After the coconut jam has been cooked and has a moderate dryness, turn off the stove and let the coconut jam cool naturally.
- When the jam cools, the coconut strands will become soft and sweet, and can be enjoyed immediately or stored in a sealed container for long-term use.
The finished coconut jam has a sweet, soft, fragrant taste and can be stored for a long time if stored properly.
Coconut jam is not only a snack but also symbolizes luck and prosperity during the Tet holiday. With its sweet, soft taste and natural aroma, coconut jam is always a favorite gift and is considered a symbol of reunion.
