Kerisik


Kerisik is used in Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean cooking. Coconut is grated, toasted, then ground to a paste. It is sometimes referred to as coconut butter. It can be made at home or bought ready made. It is used in dishes such as kerabu salads and rendang.
It is not easily found outside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and will most likely only be found in Asian specialty food shops outside of these countries. However, pre-made kerisik can develop an unpleasant smell. Fresh kerisik can be easily made from fresh coconut which is grated and fried, then ground in a mortar and pestle. Dried grated coconut can also be used, however, the resulting paste is not as fragrant. Kerisik is divided into grade 'A', for kerisik that is fragrant and creamy, tastes sweet and has a nutty aftertaste, and grade 'B', which tends to have fewer of the fragrant notes which are the key point in choosing a good kerisik. As for the last grade, grade 'C', manufacturers tend to use coconut leftovers from the production of coconut milk. This leaves the kerisik with only the nutty taste and with a bland and husky aftertaste. This 'C' grade kerisik floods the market, confusing customers. In the Malaysian market, kerisik is mostly available in supermarkets and hypermarkets.