Nata de coco is a clear solid made from fermented coconut milk or water, popular in South Asian countries. It is sweetened and used as a dessert or unsweetened as a side dish. Commercial production alters the taste, but it is praised for its high fiber content and low cholesterol.
Nata de coco, which translates into English to “cream of coconut,” is a gelatin-like food product popular in the Philippines and other South Asian countries. Despite its name, this food is not a cream, but rather a clear solid. The reference to the cream is most likely due to its key ingredient, coconut milk or coconut water. When fermented, milk or water forms creamy solids which are strained, rinsed and pressed into a mass. Cut into cubes, that mass becomes nata de coco and is enjoyed as a dessert, as an additive to drinks and as a side dish for many regional Asian dishes.
Filipino cooks have been making nata de coco for generations, and the process has changed little over the years. Coconut milk or water, sugar, and some kind of acidic agent are usually the only ingredients required. When exposed to acid and left in a cool, dark place, coconut milk or water ferments, leaving both a solid and liquid alcohol. The liquid alcohol is discarded and the solid is boiled to remove any residual acids, then drained, dried and cubed.
Most often, nata de coco is sweetened in the boiling stage, either by adding additional sugar or by boiling the mass in a sweetened sugar syrup. Sweetened nata de coco is enjoyed as a dessert, either alone or with fruit or sweet syrups. If unsweetened, it can also accompany savory dishes, add substance to drinks and garnish salads, among other things.
Processing and commercial production have made nata de coco widely available in grocery stores in the Philippines and throughout Asia. However, jelly is made by home cooks, and many believe that the homemade version tastes different from the commercially made version. Much of this is probably attributed to fermentation. As is true of many fermented foods, larger operations often speed up the fermentation process by adding additional acids or alcohol agents. While fermentation aids can cause gelatin masses to form much faster, they can also alter the final taste.
Regardless of how it’s made, nata de coco is widely praised for its high fiber content and nearly zero cholesterol. When sweetened, gelatin can contain a significant number of calories, though, especially when packaged in a high-fructose syrup. However, compared to other desserts, it is considered by many to be among the most guilt-free. It’s also an easy way to add texture, flavor and fiber to a variety of dishes.
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