Insist on this drink

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). As the fruit matures, the coconut water is gradually replaced by the coconut meat and air. A very young coconut has very little meat; the meat it does have is very tender, almost a gel. Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the tropics, especially in Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands such as Hawaii, and the Caribbean, where it is available fresh, canned, or bottled.

Coconuts for drinking are carefully packaged and sold in many places. These are typically Asian coconuts whose outer green husk has been removed, and the remainder wrapped in plastic. In Central America, particularly in Costa Rica and Panama, they are found and sold in strategic highway stops and on beaches. Coconuts are cut in front of customers to ensure the coconut water's freshness. Coconut water can also be found in ordinary cans, tetra paks, or plastic bottles (sometimes with coconut pulp or coconut jelly included). It is also being marketed as a natural sports drink because of its high potassium and mineral content.

There have been cases where coconut water has been used as an intravenous hydration fluid in some developing countries where medical saline was unavailable.

Composition of coconut water	%
Water	95.5
Nitrogen	0.05
Phosphoric acid	0.56
Potassium	0.25
Calcium oxide	0.69
Magnesium oxide	0.59
	g/100g
Iron	0.71
Total solids	4.71
Reducing sugars	0.80
Total sugars	2.08
Ash	0.62
Source: Pandalai, K. M. (1958). Coconut water and its uses. Coconut Bull 12 (5): 167-173.

Because it is a natural refreshing drink full of electrolytes that can also be considered free of fat and cholesterol, coconut water has been marketed as a sports drink. It has been suggested that while fine for most people who workout, it may be unsuitable for athletes undergoing more intensive training because of its relatively low carbohydrate and sodium content in relation to some commercial sports beverages. The roughly 2 grams of protein a serving provides is also less than the 15 to 17 grams or protein required to restore an adult after a hard workout. However, it has a high potassium content and contains antioxidants linked to a variety of health benefits. Cytokinins in coconut water may be among its most beneficial components.

Fresh coconuts for drinking are typically harvested off the tree while they are green. A hole may be bored into the coconut to provide access to the liquid and meat. In young coconuts the liquid and air may be under some pressure and may spray slightly when the inner husk is first penetrated. Coconuts that have fallen to the ground are susceptible to rot and damage from insects or animals.

Coconut water can be fermented to produce coconut vinegar. It is also used to make nata de coco.


COCONUT RECIPES:

Green Coconut Rice

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 cups light coconut milk, divided
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté ginger and 1 cup rice 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup coconut milk; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes, or until tender. Puree 1 cup coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lime juice, spinach, and sugar in a blender. Fold into rice.

Green Coconut Shrimp and Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound chicken, dark meat cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking oil (palm oil would be best)
• 1/2 piece golf-ball size ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 onion diced
• 1 small eggplant diced
• 1 green pepper, julienned
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow pepper, julienned
• 1 orange pepper, julienned
• 2/3 can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons green curry paste
• Sugar, to taste
• 4 cups steamed jasmine rice

Directions

Season the shrimp and chicken with salt and pepper 15 minutes before cooking.

Heat the wok over high heat, add oil, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook half way, just until the outside isn't pink anymore. Add the onion and eggplant and cook until the onions begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add all the peppers and then the shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp just start to curl and the peppers begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk then green curry paste and sugar, to taste.

Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

Spicy Green Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup shredded Raw Coconut1 bunch Fresh Coriander (Cilantro)Leaves5 hot Green Chillies1.5 tbsp.Lemon Juice1tsp.Cumin Seeds1tsp.SugarSalt to tasteOPTIONAL2" piece of Ginger RootOR5-7 Flakes of Garlic

Directions

PREPARATION
Shred the Coconut.Pick,clean and wash the Fresh Coriander Leaves and chop these coarsely.If using Ginger or Garlic, peel these and slice thinly.Remove the stalks from the Green Chillies.
METHOD
Combine all the Ingredients together in a Mixer and blend well till smooth and finely ground.Serve as a fresh Condiment with your Meal or Snack.
TIPS
Mix this Chutney with a little unsalted Butter or low fat "I can't Believe it's not Butter" till well mixed and smooth.Spread on choice of Bread Slices.Layer with thinly sliced Cucumbers and Tomatoes or add Cheese Slices to it and place another slice on top.Cut diagonally to make triangular Sandwiches---great to carry while travelling as a Tea time Snack!!!

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Sweet Soft and Juicy !

The mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. The mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh.

In Hinduism, the perfectly ripe mango is often held by Lord Ganesha as a symbol of attainment, regarding the devotees potential perfection. Mango blossoms are also used in the worship of the goddess Saraswati.

Mango is a fruit which is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. While other Mangifera species (e.g. horse mango, M. foetida) are also grown on a more localized basis, Mangifera indica – the common mango or Indian mango – is the only mango tree commonly cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions, and its fruit is distributed essentially world-wide.

Mangoes have been cultivated in the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years and reached East Asia between the 5th and 4th centuries BC. By the 10th century AD, cultivation had begun in East Africa. The 14th century Moroccan traveler, Ibn Battuta, reported it at Mogadishu. Cultivation came later to Brazil, the West Indies and Mexico, where an appropriate climate allows its growth.

Mango is now cultivated in most frost-free tropical and warmer subtropical climates; nearly half of the world's mangoes are cultivated in India alone.

Top producers of mangoes, mangosteens, guavas, 2007

Country	Production in tons
India	13,501,000
People's Republic of China	3,752,000
Mexico	2,050,000
Thailand	1,800,000
Pakistan	1,719,180
Indonesia	1,620,000
Brazil	1,546,000
World total	33,445,279

Mangoes account for approximately half of all tropical fruits produced worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates worldwide production at more than 33,000,000 tonnes (36,000,000 short tons) in 2007 (table above). The aggregate production of the top 10 countries is responsible for roughly 80% of production.

Alphanso Mango

Alphonso, Benishaan or Benisha (Banganapalli in Telugu and other south Indian languages) and Kesar mango varieties are considered among the best mangoes in India's southern states, while Dussehri and Langda varieties are most popular in the northern states.

Generally, ripe mangoes have an orange-yellow or reddish peel and are juicy for eating, while exported fruit are often picked while underripe with green peels. Although producing ethylene while ripening, unripened exported mangoes do not have the same juiciness or flavor as fresh fruit.

Mango is rich in a variety of phytochemicals and nutrients. The fruit pulp is high in prebiotic dietary fiber, vitamin C, diverse polyphenols and provitamin A carotenoids.
Mango is generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while the flesh of others is firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado, or may have a fibrous texture.

Mango, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	272 kJ (65 kcal)
Carbohydrates	17.00 g
Sugars	14.8 g
Dietary fiber	1.8 g
Fat	0.27 g
Protein	0.51 g
Vitamin A equiv.	38 μg (4%)
- beta-carotene	445 μg (4%)
Thiamine (Vit. B1)	0.058 mg (4%)
Riboflavin (Vit. B2)	0.057 mg (4%)
Niacin (Vit. B3)	0.584 mg (4%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.160 mg (3%)
Vitamin B6	0.134 mg (10%)
Folate (Vit. B9)	14 μg (4%)
Vitamin C	27.7 mg (46%)
Calcium	10 mg (1%)
Iron	0.13 mg (1%)
Magnesium	9 mg (2%)
Phosphorus	11 mg (2%)
Potassium	156 mg (3%)
Zinc	0.04 mg (0%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Mangoes are widely used in cuisine. (for Mango recipes click here) Sour, unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, athanu, pickles, or side dishes, or may be eaten raw with salt, chili, or soy sauce. A cooling summer drink calledpanna or panha comes from mangoes.

Mango peel contains urushiol, the chemical in poison ivy and poison sumac that can cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis in susceptible people. Cross-reactions between mango contact allergens and urushiol have been observed. Those with a history of poison ivy or poison oak contact dermatitis may be most at risk for such an allergic reaction. Urushiol is also present in mango leaves and stems. During mango's primary ripening season, it is the most common source of plant dermatitis in Hawaii.

Find Mango recipes here

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How to Make Layering Cocktails

Here is the list of the most common spirits and their specific gravity and color.
There's a series of rules you should keep in mind when layering cocktails, they should help you even if you don't know the specific gravity of a liquor:

• Liquids with the highest number are heavier (thus tend to go down in a glass), and should be poured first
• This means you should pour your spirits in order, from the highest specific gravity (first) to the lowest (last)
• Bear in mind that the difference between the specific gravities of two drinks matters (the bigger the difference, the easier it is to keep the layers cleanly separated)
• Alcohol weighs less than water, so as a general rule: liquids higher in alcohol are lighter (and tend to float on top)
• Pouring a liquid from too much height can spoil the layers that are already in the glass, you can avoid this by pouring from a low height or by pouring the liquid on the back of a spoon (which will slow it down)
• For simplicity's sake, most layered cocktails recipes are written heaviest to lightest (in order of pouring)
• It is important to move the glass with care after pouring the ingredients, and to not touch the inside with anything (it will spoil the perfectly horizontal line between the layers)

Layering Specific Gravity

Name	Specific Gravity	Approximate Color
Grenadine	1.18
Creme de Cassis	1.18
Anisette	1.175
Creme de Almond	1.16
Cr�me de Noyaux	1.165
Creme de Banana	1.14
Creme de Cacao	1.14
White Cr�me de Cacao	1.14
Coffee Liquor	1.13
Parfrait d'Amour	1.13
Cherry liqueur	1.12
Green Cr�me de Menthe	1.12
Strawberry liqueur	1.12
White Cr�me de Menthe	1.12
Blue Curacao	1.11
Galliano	1.11
Amaretto	1.1
Blackberry Liquor	1.1
Apricot Liquor	1.09
Tia Maria	1.09
Triple sec	1.09
Drambuie	1.08
Frangelico	1.08
Orange Curacao	1.08
Campari	1.06
Apricot brandy	1.06
Blackberry brandy	1.06
Cherry brandy	1.06
Peach brandy	1.06
Yellow Chartreuse	1.06
Midori Melon Liquor	1.05
Rock and Rye	1.05
Benedictine	1.04
Brandy	1.04
Cherry Liquor	1.04
Cointreau	1.04
Kummel	1.04
Peach liqueur	1.04
Peppermint schnapps	1.04
Sloe gin	1.04
Green Chartreuse	1.01
Water	1
Tuaca	0.98
Southern Comfort	0.97

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4 Popular Drinks

Ingredients for a Bloody Mary

• Vodka
• Tomato Juice
• Lemon Juice
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Tabasco Sauce
• Lime

Quantities for one drink:

• 1 1/2 oz Vodka
• 3 oz Tomato Juice
• 1 Dash Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2-3 Drops Tabasco Sauce
• 1 Wedge Lime

Blending Instructions:

• Shake all ingredients (except lime wedge) with ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Add the wedge of lime and serve

Serving Glass

Old Fashioned Glass 

Ingredients for a Margarita

• Tequila
• Triple Sec
• Lime Juice
• Salt

Quantities for one drink:

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• Salt

Blending Instructions:

• Rub rim of cocktail glass with lime juice, dip rim in salt
• Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into the salt-rimmed glass, and serve

Serving Glass

Cocktail Glass 

Ingredients for a Long Island Iced Tea #1

• Vodka
• Tequila
• Light Rum
• Gin
• Coca-Cola
• Lemon Peel

Quantities for one drink:

• 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1/2 oz Tequila
• 1/2 oz Light Rum
• 1/2 oz Gin
• 1 Dash Coca-Cola
• Twist of Lemon Peel (or Lime)

Blending Instructions:

• Mix all contents in a highball glass and sitr gently
• Add dash of Coca-Cola for the coloring and garnish with lemon or lime twist

Serving Glass

Highball Glass 

Ingredients for a Pina Colada #1

• Light Rum
• Coconut Milk
• Pineapple Juice
• Crushed Ice

Quantities for one drink:

• 3 oz Light Rum
• 3 Tblsp Coconut Milk
• 3 Tblsp Pineapple Juice
• Crushed Ice

Blending Instructions:

• Put all ingredients into an electric blender with 2 cups of crushed ice
• Blend at a high speed for a short length of time
• Strain into a collins glass and serve with a straw

Serving Glass

Collins Glass 

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