

Ingredient Name: Seabed Coconut, also known as Coco de Mer, Double Coconut, Coco Fesse or Seychelles Nut. Its scientific name is Lodoicea maldivica.
Traditional Chinese Name: 海底椰 (hai di ye)
What is this?
- It is the fruit of the Coco de Mer palm tree
- The fruits are known to produce the largest fruit known to man
- The fruit takes 6-7 years to mature and another 2 years to germinate
- It was mytically believed to grow from the bottom of the sea (hence part of its name)
- The fruit is commonly used in Chinese medicine
- The trees are considered “threatened” and “vulnerable” and have become extinct in many tropical islands where they used to grow
How do I prepare it?
- Fresh seabed coconut is usually found in frozen form and prepackaged (see picture on the left)
- Remove packaging and thaw at room temperature for at least an hour
- Wash in warm water to remove debris and dirt
- You can halve it or use it whole in soup
- Dried seabed coconut needs to be rinsed with warm water and can directly be added to soups (see picture on the right)
Where can I buy this?
- You can purchase frozen seabed coconut from most wetmarts in Hong Kong
- They are also available frozen at most Asian supermarkets
- You can buy dried seabed coconut from Asian pharmacies
What is the cost?
- A bag of 6 frozen seabed coconuts cost around $25 HKD / bag
Any benefits?
- Seabed coconuts are said to help nourish the skin and keep skin tone even
- It asissts in eliminating sputum and suppressing cough
- It also assists in removing mild heatiness
- When boiled in soups, it is mild enough for children and ideal for everyone to drink
Any precautions?
- Use with neutral vegetables (such as corn and carrots)
Additional Information?
- Dried seabed coconut have a long shelf life of up to a year if kept in the fridge
- Frozen seabed coconut can be kept for up to 1 month in the freezer, but if thawed, must be used within a few days
Resources
Trackbacks/Pingbacks