Grating Fresh Coconut

Fresh coconut must be grated or shredded before it is used in sweet or savory dishes. A food processor or blender may be used to shred the coconut finely; grating by hand produces a coarser flake. Freshly grated coconut gives the best results when making coconut milk—indispensable to many Indian and Indonesian dishes. Dried, or desiccated coconut, available coarsely or finely shredded, is better suited to desserts and confectionery.