Goan Gons / Tender Coconut Aranhas / Candied Tender Coconut

Goan Gons / Tender Coconut Aranhas are nothing but candied tender coconut strips. While the gons is so easy to make, the quantities given in a recipe are vague. The right quantity of ingredients and deft timing is essential to make this simple sweet. This simple sweet is sold at a premium at Goan markets.

Yield: 8 Pieces

Prep. Time: 30 Mins + Soaking

Cooking Time: 35 to 40 Mins

Ingredients:

• Tender Coconut flesh (not too tender) – 275 gms (cleaned)
• Sugar – 275 gms
• Vanilla Essence – a few drops
• Salt – a pinch

Step 1:     Take the cleaned tender coconut (see notes) and cut into fine thin (not very thin) strips and keep soaked in clean water for 2 to 3 hours.

Step 2:     Place some parchment paper on you kitchen platform so that you can place your cooked gons on it.  Keep a kitchen tong or pinch/tweezer ready.

Step 3:     When you are ready to cook, drain the water using a sieve and keep aside.

Step 4:     Place a heavy bottomed pan with the sugar and 125 ml water on medium heat. Stir till the sugar melts.

Step 5:     Add the drained coconut strips and continue cooking on medium heat for the first 10 minutes stirring every now and then. Then add a pinch of salt and the vanilla essence.

Step 6:     After 10 minutes, lower the heat to low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes whilst stirring continuously.

Step 7:     When it is almost ready you will see the sugar syrup bubbling and the coconut strips once cooked will look translucent (almost transparent). The sugar syrup will start leaving the sides / stick to the sides. When you see that take off the heat.

Step 8:     Pinch a few strands of the candied coconut using the tongs and place on the parchment paper. Do this till you get all of the tender coconut out of the pan (you have to do this quickly). The extra syrup will solidify in the vessel and is to be discarded.

Step 9:     Spread the candied coconut with the help of a fork to resemble Aranhas (Portuguese for webs) and leave the gons to dry for 2 to 3 hours.

Notes:

• We get our coconuts broken and stripped from our friendly neighborhood coconut sellers.
• In the event, you need to do itself, do this:
  • Break open the coconut and scoop the coconut using a spoon running it all along the inside edges.
  • Place in clean water.
  • Scrape off the brown portions using a peeler.
  • Immerse the scooped flesh in clean water and then continue with the recipe.
• To clean the vessel with the dried sugar syrup, add some water and boil again.