Ingredients 1 (without the coconut flesh)

One large coconut; 1 cup of jasmine rice; 1/2 cup of coconut water (from the coconut), 1 small onion (finely chopped); 2 cloves of garlic (minced); 1 small bell pepper (finely chopped); 1 small chili (finely chopped, optional); 1/2 cup of diced fresh pineapple; 2 tbsp of olive oil; salt and pepper to taste; a handful of fresh coriander (chopped).

Ingredients 2 (with seafood, without the coconut flesh)

In addition to the above ingredients; 200g of fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined); 200g fresh of squid (cleaned and cut into rings); 2 tbsp of soy sauce.

Ingredients 3 (with seafood, with the coconut flesh)

One large coconut; 200g of fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined); 200g of fresh squid (cleaned and cut into rings); 1 small chili (finely chopped, optional); 2 cloves of garlic (minced); 1 small onion (finely chopped); 1 tbsp of fish sauce; juice of a lime; handful of fresh coriander (chopped).

Preparation and Cooking (Ingredients 1)

• The Preparation of coconut is challenging. Firstly, drill a whole on the marked side (where there are three small circular marks) and drain out the coconut water and reserve it for rice cooking. Then, using a saw or an angle grinder, cut off the top of the coconut to create a lid. If the flesh is going to be removed, make sure that the opening is wide enough to work.
• For Ingredients 1: Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear, and combine the rice and coconut water and half cook in a saucepan for 10-15min and set aside with the lid covered.
• Sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and chili (if using), and add the diced pineapple. Then combine the mixture with the cooked rice and season it with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the chopped coriander.
• Spoon the final mixture into the hollowed-out coconut and pack it and replace the coconut lid. Place the stuffed coconut in a heatproof dish and put it in the wood fired oven to cook for 0.5- 1 hour at 150-180^o
• The cooked ingredients can be served as a side or main dish during a tropical-themed evening.

Hints and Comments

• To use Ingredients 2, follow the same steps as in Ingredients 1 but add the seafood during combining phase with the rice.
• The prawn and squid add a rich, briny flavor that balances nicely with the sweetness of the coconut (or pineapple) as in many tropical cuisines.
• Cooking the coconut with its flesh intact is also possible, but it alters the nature of the dish. The flesh of the coconut does not soften in the same way as the ingredients in a traditional stuffing would. It remains somewhat firm and crunchy even after baking.
• If you’d like to cook the coconut without scooping out the flesh, you could consider creating a kind of “coconut broth” by adding liquids and other flavorings directly into the coconut cavity, then baking it.

A curry or rise can also be cooked in a fresh coconut shell after removing the flesh, which transfers the subtle aroma to the food.