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Coconut Oil – All-Round Talent For The Kitchen And Bathroom

Coconut oil

Coconut oil can be used in the kitchen in just as many ways as margarine or butter. It is suitable for roasting, baking, and cold dishes. Read where the oil comes from, what to look out for when buying it, and how best to store it.

Things to know about coconut oil

Coconut oil is obtained from the fruit of the coconut palm. For this purpose, the flesh of the coconuts is crushed fresh or dried and the oil is pressed out or extracted using various additives and processes. Lauric acid, which is considered particularly valuable for internal and external coconut oil applications such as skin care, is sometimes extracted separately. The tropical main growing areas of the coconut palm are in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines – the oil is not always extracted there, however, but is made from the exported dried fruit pulp (copra) in Germany, among other places. When copra is ground, it produces coconut flour, which is used in baking coconut flour bread, cookies, biscuits, and other specialties.

Virgin and refined coconut oil: the differences

The manufacturing process has a direct impact on the quality and use of the coconut oil. Native oil (Virgin Coconut Oil) is obtained gently, not deacidified, deodorized or bleached. Thanks to its natural aroma, it is well suited for cold dishes, for example for dressing salads. Since coconut oil only becomes liquid from temperatures of around 24 °C, you should heat it up in a water bath and mix it with the other dressing ingredients. For fillings such as coconut bars, the solid oil must first be melted. Refined coconut fat is recommended for frying and cooking with coconut oil thanks to its high smoke point of around 190 °C. Asian wok dishes, for example, work very well with it. However, the coconut flavor dissipates when heated.

Purchasing and storage

If the purity of the coconut oil is important to you, it is best to use native organic products, i.e. organic products obtained from fresh fruit pulp without the addition of heat. The organic seal usually guarantees that the cultivation took place without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Coconut oil naturally has a good shelf life. Store opened jars tightly closed in a light-protected place, such as in the kitchen cupboard. In the refrigerator, condensation water could collect in the container. Properly stored, coconut oil will last for about two years.

Cooking tips for coconut oil

Delicious spreads can be prepared with pure, native coconut oil. Its creamy consistency makes it easy to spread. Mix the oil with pureed vegetables, tofu, nuts or fruits, and spices, or a sweetener – done! Our dessert tip: coconut pancakes. You can also use highly heatable, refined coconut oil for frying meat, fish, and potatoes.

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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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