How to eat coconut. What can you cook from coconut? How to make coconut milk from coconut

05.01.2024 Glucometers

January 19th, 2018

Until this day, I had only seen coconut in the form of coconut shavings somewhere on a coffee table or on a cake.

But, after I finally felt it with my own hands and wondered - how can I eat it?

How I got a coconut.

We pass by Spider-Man. This is a lure to go somewhere to the coolest local disco. No, I’m already “too old for all this s—.” Yes, and I should have started blogging :-)

Photo 2.

Of course, I have never seen palm trees like these, which are found all over the beach and surrounding area, neither in Cyprus, nor in Turkey or in Egypt. I don’t know how they differ in varieties there, but in Dominicata they are very cool and “heavenly” looking.

Photo 3.

So, while you sit on the beach all day, various “functional” people walk by.

Someone is cleaning up the algae... (by the way, in December there was practically no perfectly clean beach. Maybe it’s a windy season, or maybe there are no perfectly clean beaches here.

Photo 4.

But the algae was removed both with tractors and with manual labor - they still existed)

Someone walks around and offers the services of a “beauty salon” or a goods store. These people will take you outside the hotel and everything is probably cheap there, but I wouldn’t risk buying anything from them. Although it may be in vain...

Photo 5.

Coconut sellers also roam around. I was later told that at the same time they were selling something else that was prohibited, but due to my lack of knowledge of the language, I still would not have understood it.

Photo 6.

So, the coconut cost 3 bucks (who knows its “red” price here, maybe it was heated, but it doesn’t matter in such volumes). The guy, using a machete, immediately in front of you cuts the top of the coconut down to the hole and gives you a straw.

Photo 7.

Clear milk or juice, as it is called, splashes inside the coconut. I tried this liquid - well, it was sour. Half sour, half fresh. But if we don’t say that it’s not tasty at all, then you definitely can’t call it tasty.

By the way, did you notice the bird in the photo below?

Photo 8.

Most likely, you can drink such coconuts if you find yourself on a desert island somewhere and there is no fresh water - you need to drink something. Then of course you can accept it and drink it. And let alone for money, I won’t drink it even for free anymore. How to eat it? It’s as if you pick at the inside of the walls a little - something tasty, but hard and infectious! You won't be able to bite through much, even if you split the coconut into pieces.

But I’ve seen hairy coconuts in all sorts of films:

Why didn't we have the same coconuts? Are these different varieties or is it a matter of ripeness?

Do these hairy coconuts taste better?

I somehow went outside the hotel territory - this is what the coastal zone looks like there:

Photo 9.

And these same coconuts grow there.

Photo 10.

Is it them or am I confusing something?

Photo 11.

There was a small one lying on the ground - it didn’t seem to look like a coconut. What is this palm tree product?

Photo 12.

But I also noticed such fruits on a palm tree.

Photo 14.

What is this?

Photo 15.

That's how they fell to the ground.

Photo 16.

Like acorns when the red skin has fallen off.

Photo 17.

And now a little more about coconut.

Coconut, called the nut, is a stone fruit that grows on tropical palm trees along sea coasts. For many millennia, this valuable tree has been used by the population for many purposes. Nutrition, treatment with its delicious fruits, the weight of which is about 2.5 kg. Almost a third of the planet's population is engaged in the cultivation and production of coconut palm products. They developed traditions on how to eat coconut and use, for example, the bark of the fruit for household purposes.

Botanists call the inner hard shell coir. It is used in the production of furniture and the manufacture of mattresses. The fleshy inner layer is white in color with pulp, copra, and seed of the fruit. The liquid inside the coconut is called endosperm. These are the main elements of coconut used in human nutrition.

How to crack a coconut

Before you delve into the delicious secrets of the coconut, hidden under a strong shell, you need to carefully examine the fruit again, as before purchasing. It should not have stains, dents, cracks, smudges, or other defects. Gently shake the coconut and hear the splashing of the liquid contained inside. This indicates that the nut is fresh and undamaged. Next, use tips on how to peel coconut at home. You need to start doing this by looking for three dark eyes that resemble a monkey, which gives the name to the fruit of the coconut palm. These are the softest places that can be easily pierced with a sharp knife or screwdriver. Choose a place located closest to the top point of the coconut. The liquid is drained using a tube. The further process of how to peel a coconut is to break the nut into two parts. You need to split the coconut along a line located one third of the height from the top of the nut, opposite the points. Gently tap the belt around the circumference of the nut, marking a place for a stronger blow, for example, with a home hatchet or hammer. It will break into two neat parts. To speed up the process, you can heat the coconut in the oven. The pulp is removed from the shell using a knife. A good young coconut will always be soft. If the coconut is old but edible, the hard flesh is cut into slices.

How to eat coconut

Milk and coconut pulp are used for food. The shelf life of milk liquid is short, so it is drunk immediately. You can wait until the milk begins to thicken and add it to the pulp. This is coconut cream, which is used as a delicious dressing for fruit salads. Coconut flesh is eaten simply, sliced, as a non-traditional element in complex dishes that take on an exotic flavor. Coconut goes well with tropical fruits, chocolate, pineapple, and citrus fruits. Walnut shavings are used as decoration for cakes, cookies, and ice cream. One coconut replaces a full meal. This is about 300 ml of milk, 500 g of tasty pulp. Milk contains vegetable fats that give you a feeling of fullness. The pulp is a high-calorie product containing 90% saturated fat. There are recipes that advise how to properly eat coconut with chicken, fish, and shrimp. It’s easy to make candies, Thai coconut soup, and pie from it at home.

Photo 18.

Milk

Milk is the liquid contained inside the fetus. In the green stage of the nut it is a clear, colorless juice. It has a sour taste and contains substances beneficial to humans. When the nut grows, the fat secreted by the pulp enters the liquid, gives it the specific color of milk, brings it to a thick state, turning it into cream, and then transforms it into a solid state. Ripe fruits of the coconut palm are sold, filled with milk, not juice. You can drink fresh milk or add it to alcoholic cocktails and dessert dishes. Green coconut juice quenches thirst well, lowering body temperature not only during illness, but also on a hot day. Medical saline is prepared from the juice. solution. The juice is a sterile antiseptic that can act as a blood plasma substitute in emergency situations. Milk restores skin elasticity. They treat diseases of the reproductive system. Its diuretic properties make it possible to use it in the treatment of kidney diseases and stone removal. The juice can lower the level of bad cholesterol. It is recommended to drink it for diabetics, people suffering from atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Coconut milk and juice

Pulp

How to eat a coconut, looking at the snow-white, appetizing flesh, does not raise any questions or difficulties. If the coconut was picked ripe and not green, then it easily separates from the walls. You can eat it with a spoon, cut it into pieces, turn it into shavings. Pieces wrapped in polyethylene can be stored in the refrigerator for a month and used to prepare various original dishes. Dried coconut shavings last much longer. Eating the pulp is useful for improving vision and establishing the rhythmic functioning of the digestive system. It has the ability to strengthen the immune system. Serves as a preventive drug against cancer and heart diseases. Drops are also prepared from it for the treatment of otitis media. Coconut oil is made from the hard pulp, a valuable cosmetic and healing product. It helps the body absorb calcium, which is important in the treatment of osteoporosis.

How to choose coconuts

Usually there are nuts of varying degrees of maturity on sale, but fewer of them are green. Appearance without cracks, defects, the audible sound of the liquid contained inside, not very soft three spots are the main criteria for choosing the right coconut.

Photo 19.

Benefit

The nut contains a lot of potassium, calcium, B vitamins, proteins, fats, fiber, and carbohydrates. This is a high-calorie product. 100 g of nut contains 362 kcal. The main areas of application of nuts are the following:

Coconut oil is considered one of the oldest herbal remedies with irreplaceable healing properties. It's easy to buy. Use according to your doctor's recommendations. But the most pleasant will be the brown, shaggy nut, a mysterious taste that can be enjoyed at home.

How to choose a coconut, peel it and eat it without problems - this is the question asked by everyone who holds this nut in their hands for the first time. This article provides tips on “taming” coconut.

Currently, coconuts are sold in many stores, and a resident of any city, even the most northern, can arrange a tropical dinner at any time of the year. But this nut is not in great demand due to the fact that many do not know how to eat coconut correctly and what beneficial properties it has. In addition, many are confused by the rather high price of this product. But if you are determined to try coconut, then this article is for you. In it you will learn how to eat coconut, how to quickly peel it and what you can cook from it.

Coconut selection
Before buying, be sure to shake the coconut - if you hear the sound of a dried core, then put it back, but if there is milk splashing there, then proceed to inspect it. There should be no signs of mold or rotting on the outside of the coconut; such a nut is also sent back to the shelf. It should be heavy, without external damage or sagging. Average weight from 500 grams to 1 kilogram. It contains 100-300 milliliters of juice and 500-800 grams of pulp.

How to peel a coconut
On the surface of each coconut there are three dark spots - the places where the fruit attaches to the palm tree. These are the most accessible places to get juice. You can pick them out with a knife, and then drain the coconut milk through a straw into the desired container. The juice cannot be stored, so it should be used immediately.
Next, deepen the knife into the nut and split the fruit into two parts. There is also an option for real men - holding a coconut in the air, hit it with a hammer several times. As a result of such actions, the pulp will begin to move away from the walls, and the shell will become covered with cracks. After this, all you have to do is remove the shell and cut the soft part into portions.

How to eat coconut
So, you finally decided to buy a coconut, but now you are worried about another question - “How to eat coconut?” It often occurs among lovers of exotic products. Coconut is eaten as follows: the thin brown skin, juice and, of course, pulp can be used in its pure form. This is the easiest way and definitely incredibly useful. The nut can also be cooked; its pulp is used for baking, fruit salads, smoothies and much more. In order to preserve the pulp, it is crushed in a processor or on a grater, sprinkled with juice and frozen. You can also grind the pulp and dry it, you get delicious coconut flakes for baking

How to eat coconut? Be sure to try it with fish or in an exotic soup, and also prepare an amazing dessert - coconut cream. In addition, coconut can be added to and in various sauces. The uses of this product are very diverse.

Coconut can also be used for medicinal purposes. It is sterile and has long been used as an antiseptic. It also reduces fever very well. If you are unlucky and illness creeps up on you while on vacation on a tropical island, be sure to try this remedy first. Another unique property of coconut is that it reduces sugar levels, so it is very beneficial for diabetics. People who have problems with the genitourinary system will also find it useful, as it is a remedy against urolithiasis. In general, coconut has a lot of beneficial properties. In addition, there is no doubt about its amazing taste, loved by many thanks to the popular fact that it is essentially coconut in chocolate, and not the other way around.

Now you know how to eat coconut, so you can safely go to the store for such a tasty and healthy purchase. Bon appetit!

Previously, we sold only mature coconuts with dry, rough-fibrous brown skin and small size. I want to tell you about young coconuts that have recently appeared on sale and are green in color, smooth skin and quite heavy in weight.

Although Coconut does not grow in our climate zone, it is so widely used in the confectionery industry, cooking, production of drinks, flavors and much more that there is probably no adult unfamiliar with its taste and aroma, so it is difficult to call it exotic. But nevertheless, not many people tried an opened coconut on their own, and until recently, a young coconut was the lot of travelers.

If you want, you can order a coconut at the Fruit Mail store or look on store shelves (I saw it in the ABC of Taste and Globus Gourmet). It is sold with the top slightly peeled and sealed in film. This is done for your convenience because the peel is very thick and durable, so without this, opening the coconut yourself could be problematic.

Inside a young coconut is not coconut milk, but coconut water. In terms of its properties, this water is equivalent to energy drinks. It is recommended for athletes. The large amount of potassium contained in coconut water prevents muscle cramps and spasms caused by heavy loads during training. Interesting fact, that coconut water is close in composition to human blood serum and since it is a completely sterile product, during wars it was even used as a replacement for blood plasma during transfusions.

How to open and what to do with the contents: First of all, be sure to cool the coconut in the refrigerator because later you will not have this opportunity. Once opened, a young coconut has virtually no shelf life, and coconut water quickly spoils and should be drunk immediately.

The coconut is opened with a strong blow of the knife from above. In Russia they sell coconuts already prepared for easy opening. If you open a nut purchased at the market or picked with your own hands, then it will take a little more effort. I used a kitchen hatchet for these purposes. First, you clean the top a little, and then open it.

You can also open the coconut using a regular sharp knife, cut a square on the body of the coconut and remove it.

Regardless of the opening method, do not be alarmed when, at the first moment after breaking the integrity, a stream of coconut juice splashes at you under pressure. This is fine.

Then a straw or two is inserted into the resulting hole (if there are two of you) and you can drink.

Coconut water makes a particularly strong impression in the heat or after a sports workout. You literally feel how your strength returns with every sip. The taste doesn’t seem to be anything stunning and doesn’t even smell particularly like coconut, but it’s pleasant and fresh. I would describe the taste as neutral-sweet (whoever has drank birch sap will understand), but very tasty. Sometimes there is almost no sweetness at all, but a salty freshness with a slight coconut tint, but again everything is on the verge of neutrality.

Again, this water spoils quickly after opening, so it must be drunk immediately. One coconut contains approximately 500 ml. or about 2 glasses of liquid. Theoretically, there are more, but we have not encountered such.

After drinking the water, do not rush to immediately throw away the empty shell. Now it will take a little more effort to cut the shell into two parts. It's better to leave it to men. The husband cut the shell with a kitchen hatchet in 3 strokes.

There is edible pulp inside. If you have never tried a young coconut, then of course you will expect the taste of Bounty or coconut flakes, but the young nut has a completely different taste. And so does the consistency.

It is better to eat the pulp of a young nut with a spoon. Just scrape it off the inside of the halves and enjoy. The consistency of the pulp is delicate and even slightly jelly-like. The taste varies. Slightly milky, slightly sweet with a slight hint of coconut.

Young coconuts of different maturity have different thicknesses of flesh and slightly different tastes. It seems to me that the most delicious young coconuts are those with a flesh thickness of about 4 mm. The incredibly tender and tasty pulp of which is eaten in an instant with great pleasure. There is quite a bit of pulp and, unlike coconut water, you don’t want to share it with anyone, so whoever had time ate it. =))

Conclusion: In addition to its health benefits, coconut water perfectly quenches thirst and I liked it. The pulp depends on the degree of ripeness and at some points may be an acquired taste, so look for your ideal ripeness experimentally.

How to choose a coconut

It should be understood that a ripe nut falls on its own and does not require help for this. A ripe nut has a dry shell and a strong shell. Initially, when the nut is not ripe, there is a lot of milk in it, but a very thin layer of pulp. Over time, the pulp begins to increase, and the milk, on the contrary, begins to decrease its volume in the nut. This condition is critical when choosing a nut. If you want to get enough milk, you can also buy a green nut, but if you shake the nut and do not hear the sound of liquid, then this nut is no longer suitable for consumption, it is better to dispose of it. Some people advise treating coconuts like watermelon, i.e. It is optimal for the fruit to be unusually heavy for its size.

How to open a coconut correctly

And finally, I want to note that coconut is a delicacy for everyone. In Bounty, coconut flakes are very tasty, but if you try them in their pure form, you may be disappointed.

What to do with coconut at home

Therefore, you should be prepared for a negative impression.

Let's imagine for a second any film about the sea. Most often these are romantic comedies or other films of a similar genre. In films like these, people order cocktails that are served in a coconut. At first glance, doing this would not be difficult, but that was not the case.

If a person gets a coconut in his hands, then this person is trying to show his strength and power, and as proof he is trying to get to the pulp in a matter of minutes. What is the result? As a result, there is no result or you get severe fatigue and a slightly cracked shell. As you already understood, in this article we will talk about coconuts, and also look at a simple way to open them.

How to choose a coconut

Usually going to the market or to the store is a woman’s task, but knowledge has never been superfluous. It should also be noted that there are bachelor men who buy food for themselves; it will be doubly useful for them to know how to choose a coconut.

How to make coconut flakes from fresh coconut

Some people advise treating coconuts like watermelon, i.e. It is optimal for the fruit to be unusually heavy for its size.

How to open a coconut correctly

In fact, there is nothing complicated in the opening process, it is so simple that it can be done in the kitchen of your home using improvised means. Now I will list all the steps that will ultimately lead you to the successful completion of the operation. Let's get started.

1) Look for three black spots on your nut, they are often called eyes. I would like to note that in some nuts there may be more or less of them, but these are extremely rare, about one in a thousand or even less often. So, these eyes are very weak points of the nut. By piercing them with a knife or other sharp instrument, you can easily drain the milk. Some people simply insert a straw into the hole and enjoy the amazing taste of the milk. (A little advice: make holes in two eyes; this is necessary for the elementary laws of physics to apply).

2) Now we take out a hammer from our universal set of household tools. The next most fragile area of the nut is just below the eye. Therefore, using the sharp part of the hammer (although the blunt side will do), we hit the nut, while turning it. After just a few blows, cracks can be seen.

3) When you peel the nut from the shell, you can use a knife to cut the pulp and distribute it to everyone.

Since not all men are auditory learners, for some it is better to see once than to re-read an article three times or hear it five times. Okay, and for such men there is a way to explain. Below is a video that details how to open a coconut at home.

There is an alternative method, but it is intended specifically for home use. You will need, as in the first case, to remove the juice from the nut. After this, the coconut should be placed in a preheated oven to a temperature of 180 degrees. Twenty minutes in such heat will simply lead to spontaneous bursting of the shell.

I don’t know exactly which method you choose, but both the first and second are correct. Therefore, in this article I tried to give the maximum amount of useful information.

This is where we can finish. I hope you found it interesting. If you are interested, then you certainly will not forget about the advice received in our men's magazine. Come again, new knowledge for real men will soon be revealed.

How a man should handle a coconut

How to choose a coconut

It should be understood that a ripe nut falls on its own and does not require help for this. A ripe nut has a dry shell and a strong shell.

How to make Coconut Milk at home?

Initially, when the nut is not ripe, there is a lot of milk in it, but a very thin layer of pulp. Over time, the pulp begins to increase, and the milk, on the contrary, begins to decrease its volume in the nut. This condition is critical when choosing a nut. If you want to get enough milk, you can also buy a green nut, but if you shake the nut and do not hear the sound of liquid, then this nut is no longer suitable for consumption, it is better to dispose of it. Some people advise treating coconuts like watermelon, i.e. It is optimal for the fruit to be unusually heavy for its size.

How to open a coconut correctly

3) When you peel the nut from the shell, you can use a knife to cut the pulp and distribute it to everyone.

I don’t know exactly which method you choose, but both the first and second are correct. Therefore, in this article I tried to give the maximum amount of useful information.

And finally, I want to note that coconut is a delicacy for everyone. In Bounty, coconut flakes are very tasty, but if you try them in their pure form, you may be disappointed. Therefore, you should be prepared for a negative impression.

Coconut - recipes

Often those who bought a coconut for the first time are faced with the question of how to easily open a coconut. The fact that coconut can be easily handled is doubted by the thick shell of the nut, which protects the delicate flesh of the fruit. There are several ways to quickly open a coconut. However, after several trials, you will most likely settle on one - the one that will be most convenient for you.

How to open a coconut at home?

For consumption, you should choose fresh, ripe coconut. Stale coconut will have dry flesh and a bitter taste.

Before opening a green coconut, it is worth preparing a container and piercing and cutting tools. It is worth noting that only green coconuts have juice. As it ripens, the juice thickens, becoming similar in consistency to sour cream and cream. The sap of a brown coconut becomes thick like butter and then completely hard.

In European supermarkets you can only buy hardened coconuts with ossified shells. Fresh green nuts don't last long, but are easy to open with a machete. The flesh of fresh coconuts can be scooped out with a spoon. It has a pleasant delicate taste and a jelly-like state. The hardened pulp must be cut off, grated or chewed.

The extracted milk should be drunk immediately, as it is hardly stored.

Many supermarkets now sell coconuts prepared for opening. These fruits have a slightly peeled peel.

Before opening a coconut professionally, the fruit should be washed thoroughly. After this, you will need to remove the milk from the coconut. For this purpose, you need to find the more pointed part of the coconut. You will see three small dark spots on it - these are the places to which the nut stalk was attached. These points are the most vulnerable. Take an awl or knitting needle and pierce the nut in these places. Then you can insert a plastic straw into the holes and drink milk directly from the nut. Or you should tilt the nut and drain the contents into a prepared container. Since the milk does not flow out completely immediately, it is necessary to leave it tilted and allow the liquid to drain.

Once all the milk has flowed out of the coconut, you can start opening it. To do this, use the following methods:

Place the coconut in a clean plastic bag. Then take a hammer and hit the fruit several times. In this case, not only the shell will crack, but also the pulp. Therefore, if you want the coconut flesh to have a more attractive appearance, you should hit the coconut with a hammer carefully. As soon as a crack appears on the fruit, you will need to take a knife and cut the coconut in half.
Take a home drill and carefully pierce the coconut with a working drill. Of course, this will also require some skill.
This method is more complex and in order to successfully master it, you will need to open more than one nut. This method is more suitable for those who are looking for how to open a coconut carefully. Take the fruit in your non-dominant hand and determine its transverse middle. Step back about 3 cm closer to the end to which the cutting was attached. After this, take a massive knife and hit it with the back side across the fruit in this place. If the blow is correct, a small neat crack will appear. Place a knife shallowly into this crack and, turning it, carefully break the nut. After this, an intact nut and two whole halves of the shell will remain in your hands.

Intact shells can be used to make souvenirs, boxes, and candlesticks.

If you master this method of opening a coconut, you can use it to surprise your guests before feeding them coconut meat.

How to open a coconut at home

Do you want something exotic? Or want to know what coconut shavings are made from? Or are you preparing to travel to a desert island where only coconut trees grow? Either way, it's important to know how to easily open a coconut at home.

The surest way to open a coconut

So, the ill-fated nut is washed and awaits punishment on the shell. How to approach it?

Take a close look at the coconut; there are three dark holes on it (by the way, it is possible that the inventor of the bowling ball was inspired by the shape of the coconut). These dark spots need to be poked with something to pour out the coconut milk. Possible tools: a corkscrew, a sharp knife, a chopstick or a screwdriver. Once the holes are made, carefully pour out the coconut juice or drink it through a straw.

We got rid of the liquid. What's next? How to open a coconut correctly so as not to break everything around from anger? Visually find the equator of the coconut (the line at the widest part of the coconut). Then arm yourself with a hammer and start tapping the equator of the nut with a tapering striker. After such a monotonous action, the shell will not stand it and will split into two parts. Now carefully remove the “lid” of the coconut.

coconut flakes

It is possible that the pulp will stick to the shell, then use a knife and carefully separate it. Congratulations, you managed to open a coconut!

But it’s not enough to open a coconut at home - you also need to know how to eat it.

Other ways to open a coconut at home

Couldn't find a corkscrew or hammer in your apartment? Or just curious about another way to simply open a coconut? Then take a look at other methods for opening a coconut.

An option for those with strong hands. Wrap the coconut tightly in a plastic bag and hit it very hard with a hammer. The shell will crack after impact. Be careful when removing coconut fragments as you may spill the liquid on yourself. Be sure to wash all the flesh before eating as it will get dirty on the shell.

For those who are patient. To open a coconut, grab a hacksaw or handsaw and cut away. This activity relieves stress perfectly.

"Hunting" option. If you have a hunting knife or a very large kitchen knife or machete, place the coconut on a cutting board and give it a good whack. The coconut will split into two neat pieces. Don't forget to first pour the juice out of the coconut by making the above-mentioned holes.

The native's way. Take a coconut in each hand and hit one nut against the other as hard as you can. This is how the islanders open coconuts. What did you think? They don’t have all the gadgets of civilization.

You can also take revenge on your neighbors for the “punch” weekend. Place the coconut in a bag, go out into the stairwell and start hitting it on the steps. But keep in mind that not everyone in your home will like the way you get to the delicious coconut meat.

How to eat coconut correctly

After removing the shell, you will see that the white flesh is framed by a brown skin. It does not need to be removed, but the pulp should be eaten with it. The easiest way is to cut the pulp into cubes. You can, of course, make homemade coconut flakes and sprinkle it on sweet pastries. For example, the Thais use milk and pulp to make soups, interesting sauces, and many other exotic dishes.

We hope that at least one of the tips will help you, and you will enjoy the taste of such a healthy coconut.

It doesn’t matter why a coconut appeared in your house - whether it’s a gift from fate or your own whim, but something needs to be done with it. Despite its rather harsh appearance, opening a nut is not such a difficult task if you know which side to approach it from.

How to crack a coconut

Of course, this nut is an exotic fruit and not familiar to everyone. But that doesn't mean we can't deal with it.

The fruit of the coconut tree is more correctly called a drupe rather than a nut.

To cut a coconut into a nut, we must stock up on the necessary tools and follow a certain sequence of actions.

Preparing inventory

We will need:

hammer;
nail or screwdriver;
large knife or hatchet;
cup;
towel.

Don't be intimidated by the abundance of items listed. Some of them are interchangeable and are indicated in case another item is not at hand. Which tool you use depends on how you open the nut.

Drain the juice

There are three dark spots on one of the “poles” of the nut. It will be easier to make a hole in these places.

Coconut water is often mistakenly called "milk". In fact, coconut water (juice) and coconut milk are two different things. Water is what is inside the nut, and the so-called coconut milk is obtained from crushed pulp with the addition of water.

You need to choose the softest spot and make a hole in it with a nail or screwdriver

Place the coconut on a towel to prevent it from sliding on the table.
Place a nail on one of the marks and hit it with a hammer. Calculate the force of the blow! If you overdo it, you'll end up with a hammered nail rather than a hole.
Make two holes to make it easier for the coconut water to pour out, and tip the nut over the glass.

Do not count on a full glass of juice; there is not much of it in a ripe (brown) nut.

Breaking a nut with your bare hands

It’s hard to imagine a Papuan walking under the palm trees with a carpenter’s kit. Coconuts have been eaten since time immemorial, which means that there are some “primitive” ways to present the sweet flesh to the world.

The easiest way to open a nut if you have nothing but your own hands is to hit it hard on a hard surface. For example, against a concrete wall. The “right hook” will have the desired effect if you aim: hold the nut so that the blow falls on the most convex part of the “equator” of the nut. As a rule, one decent blow is enough for a crack to appear. The disadvantage of this method is that if the gap is too small, you will not be able to simply break the nut into two halves with your hands and will have to repeat the maneuver. And if you are so strong that you simply smash a coconut against the wall, then you will not be able to enjoy the coconut juice - it will leak out.

How to open a coconut with a knife

If you have at least a knife, then this greatly simplifies the matter. It is advisable that it be a solid tool that inspires respect, for example, a cleaver knife, a hunting knife or a “chef’s knife.” With its help, you can cut a coconut in at least two ways.

Opening through a hole

If you have already made two holes in the shell and drained the juice, feel free to start cutting using the existing holes.

We insert the knife into one of the holes with the tip.
We hit the handle several times. This can be done with a hammer, or just with a fist.

This method guarantees that the nut will crack, but does not guarantee the symmetry of the resulting parts.

Video: cutting with a knife through a hole

Using a knife on the edge of a coconut

This method is used to open “full” nuts with juice inside. First of all, evaluate the “exterior” of the knife and determine what is heavier, the blade or the handle. The sharpness does not matter, because we will be tapping the nut, not cutting it. If the knife blade is heavier, use the dull side. If the handle is heavier, then grab the knife by the blade.

Find a natural break line approximately halfway down the nut. As you remember, this is the very place where the shell cracks the fastest.
Act accurately and carefully: with one hand, hold the nut suspended and constantly rotate it around its axis, and with the other hand, tap along this line with the blunt side of the knife.
As soon as a crack appears, insert a knife blade into it and slightly push the shell apart.
Pour the juice into a glass.
Now unseal the nut using the knife more decisively.

Video: how to split a shell into two equal halves

How to open a green drinking coconut

Green fruits are unripe nuts that have not yet had time to “ripen.” In terms of the thickness of the peel, they are somewhat reminiscent of a pumpkin, which means that the green nut can be easily handled with a kitchen knife. Simply cut off one of the coconut poles like a “lid” and enjoy!

Green coconut juice reduces appetite, normalizes digestion, blood glucose levels, thyroid function and metabolism

Coconut water is low in calories, quenches thirst, helps get rid of bladder infections and restores physical strength after intense exercise.

Safety precautions when opening a nut

Despite the fact that it is not difficult to handle a coconut, still be careful when using sharp, piercing, or cutting objects. When using a hammer, try to protect your fingers. By the way, if, of all the ways to open a coconut, you just decide to hit it with a hammer wherever you have to, then before doing this, put it in a plastic bag so as not to later look for scattered pieces throughout the kitchen.

Cleaning the tough skin and extracting the pulp

Extraction of pulp will go faster if you take into account the following rule: the more shells, the easier it is to do. Therefore, if you do not use any “life hacks”, then the most difficult thing will be to pick copra from those very perfect hemispheres that were discussed above.

Insert the blade of a knife between the shell and the edible part and separate a piece

The most primitive way to extract the pulp is as follows: insert a knife blade between the shell and the edible part, and, shaking the knife, separate a piece. Then another one. And further. The main thing is not to rush anywhere.

This kind of meditation activity is not suitable for everyone. Things will go much faster if you use the following method:

We won't throw away the shells

If cutting a coconut was so impressive that you wanted to keep these exciting moments in your memory, make a souvenir from the shell. Most often, halves of nuts are used as a salt shaker, candlestick, plate for buttons, keys and other small items. If the shell is quite deep, then by turning it upside down, you will get an excellent eco-house for a hamster. Small and unsightly shards will serve as drainage for indoor flowers.

Photo gallery: decorative and household items made from coconut shells

Candlesticks made from coconut halves will decorate any occasion Coconut shell feeder is very environmentally friendly Box in the shape of an egg - almost Faberge Cacti in a coconut pot feel like home

Terms and methods of storing coconut

One nut, as a rule, is eaten right away, so the question of how to store it does not even arise. It’s another matter when, for some reason, you have, as they say, “stacks” of these coconuts. Whole nuts will keep in a cool place for up to three weeks. But if you don’t work in the very store where you happened to stock up on coconuts, then you have no way of knowing how long they had already been on the shelf before you were tempted by them.

Important! When buying a coconut, shake it near your ear: you will hear a noticeable splash of juice. If this sound is not present, there is a high probability of running into a stale, drying fruit.

Store the opened coconut in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, as long as it remains in the shell. It is not recommended to store coconut juice. Microbes multiply quickly in a sweetish liquid, so it would be wiser to drink it right away.

Pour boiled water over the pulp so that it does not dry out. The lifespan of “soaked coconut” in the refrigerator is 2–3 days;
Place the peeled coconut meat in the freezer. In this form, she can wait for her fate for several months;
Grind and dry the coconut, put it in a bag and use the shavings throughout the year. Store in a dry place.

Not everyone can pick a nut from such a height

Interesting: in the south of Thailand, coconuts are collected with the help of trained monkeys. The animal climbs up, picks nuts, and when it comes down, it receives a treat from the worker.

The sweetness and aroma of fresh nuts is much brighter than processed ones. Buy the “symbol of heavenly life” immediately before eating and enjoy the fullest taste.