3 Ways to Make Delicious and Flavorful Braised Coconut Hearts at Home

Prepare Ingredients

The coconut heart you buy should be soaked in salt water for about 10 – 15 minutes to clean off all dirt. Then rinse it again with clean water and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

For straw mushrooms, cut off the stem if there’s too much dirt. Soak the mushrooms in diluted salt water for 5 minutes to remove all impurities.

Wash the green onions, take the roots, and cut them into pieces about the length of one finger. The part near the top should be sliced into small rounds for decorating the dish.

Marinate and Stir-Fry the Mushrooms

Wait until the straw mushrooms are dry before marinating them with spices. Add to the mushrooms 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1 tablespoon of vegetarian fish sauce. Mix well and marinate for about 7 – 10 minutes.

Heat a pan and add a little cooking oil, once the oil is hot, add the green onions, waiting until they turn golden before adding the straw mushrooms. Stir-fry for about 4 to 5 minutes, at this point the straw mushrooms will firm up, and the spices will have soaked into them, making them very delicious.

Cook coconut heart

Add a cup of water to the pan, heat it up and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of caramel sauce, then stir well for the spices to dissolve evenly.

Depending on personal taste, you can add more or fewer chilies to make the dish spicy and flavorful. Add the coconut heart to cook when the water is boiling, and keep the heat medium for the water to penetrate the coconut heart.

When the coconut heart is nearly cooked, add the previously stir-fried straw mushrooms to the pan, continue cooking and stir for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining scallions to the pan and then turn off the heat; at this point, we have completed the dish.

Finished Product

On the full moon days or during vegetarian periods, we have an appealing dish where the sweetness of straw mushrooms combined with the distinctive flavor of coconut heart will provide your family with a high-quality and wonderful vegetarian meal.

Prepare the Ingredients

Clean the coconut heart, cut it into bite-sized pieces, soak in salt water, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.

Fried coconut heart

You should add 300ml of cooking oil to the pan, heat it until boiling, and then proceed to fry the coconut heart. Note that the coconut heart must be completely submerged in oil to ensure even cooking and crispiness.

After frying, remove it to drain and continue frying the remaining pieces. The fried coconut heart should be evenly golden and crispy on the outside.

Stewed coconut heart

Add 500 ml of clean water to the stewing pot and bring it to a boil. When the water starts to heat up, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian fish sauce. Stir well so that the seasonings dissolve evenly.

Then, add all the fried coconut heart to the pot, stir well, and remove any foam. Proceed to stew over medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes; at this point, the coconut heart will absorb the seasonings and turn a very attractive color.

Depending on personal taste, you can add 1 to 3 chili peppers for a more appealing spicy flavor. And that’s it, the dish is ready.

Finished product

The braised coconut heart when completed has a very attractive color and the characteristic aroma of vegetarian braised dishes. The sweetness of the coconut heart will refresh your palate during vegetarian days. Wishing you a delicious and quality meal.

Prepare the ingredients

Add a little salt to a basin of clean water, cut the coconut heart into bite-sized pieces, and soak it in saltwater. Smash the lemongrass and cut it into pieces about 2 finger lengths.

Smash the shallots and chop the chili finely.

Prepare and marinate the coconut heart

Remove and let the coconut heart drain. In a bowl, mix the seasoning including 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a little shrimp paste color. Mix all the seasonings together, then add the mixture to marinate the coconut heart.

Let it sit for about 5 – 10 minutes so that everything is evenly soaked.

Cooked Coconut Heart

Add a little oil to the pan and heat it, then add chopped onion and minced garlic. When the onion and garlic are fragrant, add the marinated coconut heart to the pan and stir well until golden, then turn off the heat.

Prepare another hot pan, add chopped onion, minced garlic, chili, and the remaining soy sauce from the bowl, pour in a little water, and mix well.

Add a bit of shrimp paste color, a little salt, some seasoning powder, 2 tablespoons of jaggery sugar, and a little pepper, stirring to combine everything.

When the water boils, add the coconut heart and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Then add smashed lemongrass and shallots. When it tastes just right, turn off the heat, and we have completed the cooked coconut heart dish.

Final Product

Place the dish on a plate, arrange it attractively, and remember to add a little sauce on top for more appeal. You can also sprinkle a bit of chopped green onion on the plate.

The cooked coconut heart dish features tender and delicious coconut hearts, infused with flavor combined with thick, rich sauce, making it incredibly appealing when served with white rice.