Member-only story
FOOD
Smokin’ Coconut Shells
And how you can use them to add flavor to your food
A hint of smoke elevates certain Indian dishes such as Dal Makhani, Chicken Tikka Masala, or Rajma Curry from tamely tasty to lip-smackingly delicious.
The charcoal in my grocery store is made from hickory — a favorite barbecue wood for bacon. I really like bacon, but,
Hickory is too bacon-y (IMHO)
For Indian Dal Makhani.
(Yeah, I’m one of those annoying people who can never resist the cadence of a rhyme.)
Moving on to coconut shells —
I use coconut meat almost every day in curries and chutneys. I buy packets of grated fresh coconut from the local Indian store.
I buy whole coconuts only when I run out of coconut shell.
So why coconut shell?
To infuse food with that edgy, smoked flavor, of course.
It’s a trick I learned from my sister-in-law on my last trip to India. When looking for a smokin’ Chicken Tikka Masala, a piece of dried coconut shell is an awesome alternative to coal.
