Recipe: Phla Ma Praw (Spicy Coconut Flesh Salad)
In Auckland, we can often find young coconuts at the market or supermarket, and whenever I see them, I can’t resist bringing one home. I’m a little lazy when it comes to wrestling with a coconut, so Noah does the hard work of opening it. We drink the water, then he scoops out the soft, tender flesh for me.
I love discovering ways to use young coconut beyond the sweet things we usually associate with it. Its flesh is delicate, cool and wonderfully silky on the tongue, making it surprisingly good in a savory salad. Here, it takes the place of fish in a ceviche, absorbing the bright citrus, chile and herbs while keeping its own subtle sweetness. It’s a simple dish, but the texture makes it feel quite special.
Below is a dish we created for the Thai Food Stories cookbook that was ultimately cut during the final edit.
For a more traditional ceviche: You can easily take this in a Latin American direction by leaving out the fish sauce and lemongrass, using extra cilantro in place of the mint, and adding finely diced red onion and fresh jalapeño or serrano chile. A little orange juice or alongside the lime gives the dressing a softer, rounder acidity.
Coconut Phla is a sensual, subtly sweet, and spicy dish that evokes memories of a white fish ceviche. It’s a perfect dish for vegans if you substitute the fish sauce with vegan fish sauce. If you like, you can add a tablespoon of coconut cream if you want a creamier finish. Delicate and rich, this dish makes a good starter or a small side salad.
Serves 4 Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 coconut*, top cut off and water drained
- 1 cup tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon lemongrass, bottom 3 inches, finely sliced
- 1 scallion, sliced finely (or shaved into small pieces and put in ice
- water to curl up) or ¼ cup sliced red onion or shallot may be substituted
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Flaky sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
For the dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced (3 Tablespoons)
- 1 Tablespoon white sugar
- 2-3 bird’s eye chilies, sliced finely
Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from a coconut. Place in a bowl with mint, cilantro, lemongrass, and tomato.
In a small bowl, mix the dressing together, and once the sugar has dissolved, taste and adjust as needed.
Add the dressing in to the coconut mixture and toss together. Place in your serving bowl and garnish with scallion slices and any additional herbs. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
*Young coconut: Look for a fresh young coconut with soft, spoonable flesh, sometimes called coconut jelly. The flesh should be thin, tender and slightly translucent rather than thick and firm. If you can only find mature coconuts with hard, chewy meat, they won't give the right texture for this recipe.
