Storing Santen

Santen does not keep. A ‘fresh’ coconut that you buy from an English supermarket is, of course, likely to be a few weeks old, at least; but as long as you do not break it open it will be perfectly all right for another month or more. Desiccated and creamed coconut will obviously keep for a very long time. Santen, however, must be used within about 24 hours of being made. It can be stored overnight in a refrigerator; it may thicken, like cream, but will melt again when heated. Dishes which are to be refrigerated or frozen must be stored without santen, and the santen added when the dish is heated ready for serving—except in the case of dishes such as Rendang or Kelia, which are cooked in santen from the very beginning and in which the santen is nearly or completely absorbed into the meat. These can be frozen; so, of course, can any dish which uses grated coconut.