In 1292 AD, Italian missionary and traveler John of Montecorvino described coconuts in India as “Indian nuts, as big as melons and gourds.” The Sanskrit word for coconut, “narikela,” is derived from two Southeast Asian terms: “niyor” for oil and “kolai” for nut, reflecting the coconut’s deep-rooted presence in Indian culture.

Indian mythology recounts how sage Vishwamitra created the tall coconut tree, with its crown of leaves, to catch King Trishanku, who was cast out of heaven by Lord Indra for his misdeeds. However, botanists trace the origin of the coconut palm back to the Papua New Guinea region, from where it likely spread to India, aided by its ability to float across oceans and sprout when washed ashore.

Literary references to coconuts, or narikela, appear as early as 300 BC in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Greek historian Megasthenes, who resided in Pataliputra, mentioned coconuts in the Taprobane island (modern-day Sri Lanka). The medieval traveler Ibn Battuta also noted that a coconut “resembles a man’s head, and its contents, when green, are like the brain.” He even described a coconut by-product, “coconut honey,” likely referring to a sweet extract from palm trees, which historian KT Achaya suggests could be an early form of jaggery made from coconut juice.

In South India, the coconut is revered as sriphala, the blessed fruit, and cutting down a palm tree is considered sinful. Coconuts play a central role in Aryan festivals and rituals across India. The Tamil word “nai” for semi-solid fat seems to originate from words like “ngai” and “niu,” used for coconut oil in Polynesia and the Nicobar Islands.

The coastal regions of South India, particularly Kerala, are abundant with coconut trees, thanks to the plant’s adaptability to coastal environments. Coconut is integral to the region’s cuisine. In Kerala, coconut oil is a primary cooking medium, lending a distinctive flavor to dishes like aviyal, a stew made with green bananas, drumsticks, and other vegetables using both coconut milk and coconut oil, and pullisseri, a dish of ash gourd or raw mangoes cooked with coconut, curd, and chili. Sweets like kopra-mittai, made by setting dried coconut shreds in thickened jaggery or sugar, and Goan desserts like bebinca and Dos de Grao, are also coconut-based.

One of the popular dishes influenced by the British in then-Madras is Moilee, a coconut milk-based gravy often made with fish. Another beloved dish in Bengal is Narkel Chingri—coconut prawns. Here’s an easy recipe to try:

Narkel Chingri (Coconut Prawns) Recipe

Ingredients:

• Medium-sized prawns – 250 gm (cleaned and deveined)
• Desiccated/finely grated coconut – 2 cups
• Garlic – 7-8 cloves (finely chopped)
• Slit green chilies – 7-8
• Curry leaves – 10-15
• Tamarind paste – 2 tbsp
• Mustard oil – 1/2 cup
• Mustard paste – 2 tbsp
• Salt/Sugar – To taste

Method:

1. Heat mustard oil in a wok and add finely chopped garlic, half of the slit green chilies, and half of the curry leaves. Let it splutter.
2. Add desiccated coconut, stirring continuously until the coconut starts to brown.
3. Once the coconut turns golden brown, add the prawns and stir for three to four minutes.
4. Add tamarind and mustard paste with 1/2 cup of water, then season with salt and sugar to taste. Add the remaining green chilies and curry leaves, cover, and let it boil.
5. After two to three minutes, when the water evaporates, sprinkle some more oil and stir until the mixture turns dark brown. Garnish with more slit green chilies and serve.