This DIY will walk you through the steps of making desiccated coconut at home with a few ingredients and tools.
Break the fresh coconut in half. At the top of the coconut, there are three indentations. One of them is usually the weakest. Take a sharp knife and poke each indentation. Once you find the weakest, insert the knife to create a 1/2 inch hole. Turn the coconut upside down to collect the water in a glass. Hold the coconut with a towel and firmly tap it with a hammer or meat mallet. The shell should crack in half.
Remove the husk, then use the fine grater to shred the coconut flesh onto a baking sheet. Spread the coconut on the sheet to avoid clumping. It also prevents the coconut from drying. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F or 120 degrees C.
Place the baking sheet with coconut inside the oven. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. The duration of dehydration depends on the quantity of grated coconut and moisture content. During dehydration, keep checking the coconut status.
Dehydrator Instructions:
Making Desiccated vs. Shredded Coconut
Sweetened Shredded Coconut Recipe:
Dry coconut is brittle to touch. Once dry, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a bowl. You can also transfer to a mixer and grind the coconut to fine granules. Store in an airtight container.
Find it online: https://thecoconutmama.com/desiccated-coconut-recipe/