Coconut Candy – Malaysian Style

 

One of my regrets in life is introducing my kids to Malaysian food.

I’d be asked to do Otak-otak, Satay, Kaya, Pork Vindaloo or Chicken Rendang. This time it was Coconut candy.

The coconut candy is casually referred to as candy in Malaysia. The time and the effort it takes to prepare this recipe is tedious. Of course there is always a shorter way to do this faster and enjoy the finished product faster. As such on a wacky weather day as this one I decided to make some candy.

 

Cold, flurry, rain, freezing rain, it’s snowing up north, and … it’s spring. Won’t be long now before we start complaining of the heat.

 

I remember my mum scrapping the coconut herself and frying the coconut in a large wok to make this scrumptious desert. Sorry mum, I cheated. I bought the sweetened shredded coconut from the grocery store.

I tried this recipe with the unsweetened shredded coconut and the candy tasted the same, so I went ahead with the sweetened coconut. Extra sugar is not necessary unless if you have an over active sweet tooth.

 

The candy recipe calls for condensed milk.

I think the best thing ever created on this world is condensed milk. Anything made with condensed milk tastes divine. As kids my siblings and I would eat Dutch Baby condensed milk out of the can. We’d have “teh tarik” for breakfast. “Teh tarik” is a tea version of latte introduced by the Indians in Malaysia. I must say I have perfected the art of stretching the tea from one jug to another until it becomes frothy.

 

Of course the breakfast would not be complete for us kids without white bread spread with oozing condensed milk. Ah, the sin of this creation. If only I can eat a can a day.

 

 

How to make Coconut Candy

Ingredient:

1 kg sweetened shredded coconut

2 cans condensed milk (600grams)

1 tbls vanilla essence

2 tbls red food coloring

 

Method:

Fill a large pan with the coconut and stir it over low heat until the coconut browns slightly. Do not burn it.

Add the condensed milk, vanilla and the coloring.

Keep stirring until the mixture thickens to the point of bubbling.

Transfer the mixture into a slightly buttered casserole dish or cake pan.

Cut it into bite size pieces before refrigerating.

Refrigerate overnight or for at least four hours.

 

Let me know how yours turns out.