Nata de coco

Nata de coco is a translucent, chewy jelly made by fermenting coconut water. Originally from the Philippines, it is eaten sweet, as a dessert or in fruit salads.

50 min
4 servings
Medium
Budget-friendly
🇵🇭 Philippines

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Ingredients

Sirop

100 ml Water
100 g Caster sugar

Optional extras

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Nutrition facts

302 kcal per serving

Protein: 0.4 g
Carbohydrates: 75.1 g
of which sugars: 74.9 g
Fat: 0 g
of which saturated fat: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g

Ecomely’s estimate, calculated from the ingredients with the ANSES Ciqual food composition table, excluding sides and seasoning added to taste.

Instructions

Boil the coconut water with 200 g of sugar for 5 minutes, stirring, then let it cool completely.
Pour the cooled liquid into a sterilised glass jar, add the vinegar and the starter, cover with a fine cloth fixed with an elastic band.
Place the jar in a dark, warm spot (25 to 30 °C) for 10 to 14 days, without moving it.
A thin, white gelatinous layer forms on the surface: that is the nata. Lift it off gently and rinse it with water.
For the syrup, heat the water with the sugar until dissolved, let it cool slightly and flavour with the lemon juice.
Cut the nata into cubes or strips, drop them into the syrup and keep them chilled in their syrup for up to 1 week.

Variations and tips

Quick version. Replace the fermentation with gelatine: soak 6 sheets of gelatine, dissolve them in 1 litre of warm sweetened coconut water and let it set in the fridge.

Using what you can find. Homemade nata takes time; tinned or jarred nata de coco can be found in Asian grocery shops.