How to eat coconut

What they don’t do is that the coconut doesn’t grow: how to buy, open and eat the fruit of paradise?

Thanks to exaggerated advertising, coconuts in our latitudes are associated exclusively with heavenly pleasure. But in fact, it’s not in vain. You can buy a coconut in a supermarket for just 20–30 hryvnia and get your fill of many healthy nutrients, plus a refined exotic taste. We understand the beneficial properties of coconuts, how to choose them correctly and open them at home, how you can eat them and what interesting dishes to prepare.

Coconut is not a type of fruit or nut. In fact, these are palm seeds . Essentially, it is a fruit that has a juicy pericarp. Such fruits, for example, include our native plums, apricots, cherries and many others. Therefore, in everyday understanding, following the example of the same cherry, coconut can also be classified as a fruit.

Coconuts were discovered a long time ago and it is not known exactly where their homeland is. Malaysia and New Guinea are competing for this title. However, they grow in many warm countries, because by nature they have a persistent distribution.

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Scientists say that the reason coconut fruits have such a hard shell (which makes them difficult to open) is so that the seeds inside them can float across the waters undamaged, reaching fertile lands. Thus, it is assumed that coconuts made their way across the seas and oceans for thousands of thousands of kilometers and spread to different islands and shores.

For residents of various hot countries, coconuts are a real gift from heaven. Here coconut palms are considered the tree of life. Its fruits are cut into many ingredients and used not only as food, but also as medicine and a source of profit, exported to countries like ours where coke palms cannot grow due to natural reasons.

Various products derived from coconut fruits are widely used not only in cooking, but also in medicine and cosmetology.

Coconuts contain many vitamins, trace elements and minerals . These are phosphorus, potassium, vitamins E and C, magnesium, folate and fiber. Coconut milk is simply pleasant to drink - it has a light sweet taste. Its composition is dominated by fats (27 percent), with smaller quantities containing proteins (4 percent) and carbohydrates (6 percent). The coconut pulp itself strengthens the body’s protective functions, improves vision and generally replenishes energy reserves. Coconut milk is also well used by doctors: it is administered intravenously as a diuretic and antipyretic. This milk can also serve as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent.

First of all, you can “squeeze” coconut water (or coconut juice ) out of a coconut, and it is surprisingly healthy. Contained in unripe coconuts is the future coconut milk. This is a pleasant clear cool sweet and sour liquid. As for the composition, it consists of 95 percent water, 4 percent carbohydrates, and 1 percent fat and protein. However, its 19 calories (per 100 milliliters) contain a lot of sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Jamaicans, for example, consider coconut water an excellent home remedy for diarrhea.

However, first of all, in countries where palm trees grow, coconut juice is used to quench thirst in the heat. At cheap prices it is simply sold on the streets for tourists with tubes sticking straight out of palm fruits. But anyone can pick coconuts for this purpose simply on the streets. For a long time now, in all countries of the world, coconut water has become a medical preparation: along with glucose, it is administered intravenously - this stops dehydration of the body and maintains fluid balance.

When the coconut ripens, this water turns into milk after the formation of fats in it. Coconut milk is a fragrant and sweet substance. And it is also good medicine :

has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the kidneys, not only fighting kidney infections, but also being able to dissolve stones in them;
helps in the treatment of diabetes;
normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, blood circulation and improves blood composition;
Regular consumption of coconut juice or milk reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, and therefore serves as a prevention of atherosclerosis;
nourishes people with heavy physical activity with energy and strength.

As the life of the coconut progresses, its milk is converted into coconut pulp. Just in our latitudes, when we buy a coconut, we often get the fruit with pulp, and not with juice or milk. You can prepare many healthy, tasty and interesting dishes from coconut pulp.

But the famous coconut oil is made from the driest part of the coconut fruit. It can also be eaten. But it is mainly used for cosmetic purposes. Even in our latitudes, most have already realized that it is difficult to find a better product for caring for the skin of the face, body and head, as well as hair. It perfectly controls the level of sebum, tones, refreshes and restores the natural elasticity of the skin.

The biggest negative you can get from a coconut is from its water. Due to heavy consumption, it will significantly increase the level of potassium in the blood and can lead to acute kidney failure, arrhythmia, fainting and even death . True, fainting from drinking several liters of coconut juice was recorded only once in the world, and that was due to the fact that before that the person was engaged in heavy physical exercise. However, be careful: in the countries of coconut trees, medicine is poorly developed and other sad cases may simply not have been recorded or taken into account.

If you have already been convinced of the fabulous usefulness of coconut and went to the store to buy these wonderful fruits, then some tests await you here. Finding and choosing a high-quality fruit is quite difficult.

To do this, pay attention to many indicators:

the place where the coconut is attached to the palm tree should be hard; if it is soft and easily pressed, the fruit has already begun to rot;
the larger the coconut, the better - because this means that due to its weight it fell on its own, that is, it grew and ripened;
A large coconut is also better because the thickness of the shell does not increase with the size of the fruit, which means that a large fruit contains more pulp;
shake the coconut - if you hear a loud sound, it means there is a lot of liquid (coconut juice or milk, but not pulp) and it is not yet ripe;
If a coconut has an unpleasant odor, it is spoiled.

Opening a coconut is not an easy task. After all, as we have already said, its shell is very dense and rough to reliably protect its valuable insides.

The simplest and most straightforward way to open a coconut is to break it. This can be done by hitting it hard with something heavy, such as a hammer. However, this is quite dangerous because the coconuts can slide and jump off. So before such an opening, the fetus should be securely fixed.
Cutting with a hacksaw is also an undercut method for opening a coconut, because this way the juice spills out of it.
In order to preserve coconut milk before opening, you need to find 3 dark spots on it at the base. They should be pierced with a sharp object and the valuable liquid should be poured out. You can make only 2 holes, insert a straw into one of them, and just drink the juice of your coconut.
After this, you can safely split the coconut with a knife, which should be struck in the area located 1/3 of the dark holes to its other end. You should hit with the blunt side of the knife. After placing it on a flat table. But that's not all: then you should slightly rotate the coconut around its axis and hit it again. Repeat this procedure until a crack appears in the coconut. You need to insert a knife into it at the end - this way the coconut will open completely.

How to crack a coconut

Coconut is a nut, and a rather big one. Accordingly, its shell is also thick. Therefore, you need to chop coconut with a hammer. It’s best to use an iron kitchen one (well, the one you use to beat chops), like this:

Place the coconut in the palm of one hand and take the hammer in the other. And we peel it on the side of the nut (approximately at a distance of one third from its top with the eyes), turning regularly until it cracks.

Moreover, our task is not to destroy the coconut, but only to crack its shell. Therefore, we give preference to not very strong blows: this way the shell slowly moves away from the pulp.

Time and time again we are asked how to open a young coconut. With a few simple steps, you can quickly open a nut at home. Under the flower, the coconut is a little darker and softer than elsewhere, making it easier to open. As a tool, you use either, if you have at hand, an apple chiller or a screwdriver. For especially young coconuts, the area under the flower is so soft that the tool can be pushed into the nut by hand. It works best with a rubber mallet. With straw, you can enjoy delicious low calorie and isotonic coconut water. If you prefer a glass, you should drill another hole in the nut to allow air to escape when filling the glass. In a young coconut, depending on the variety, origin or season, from 200 to 800 ml of coconut water. Of course, coconut lovers also love the jelly-like coconut meat of the young nut. Depending on the maturity and variety of the nut, the layer of coconut meat is between 0 and 4 millimeters thick. As the nut ages, it contains more jelly. Additionally, since the protective coconut shell surrounding the coconut jelly thickens with increasing ripeness, a more mature nut is more difficult to crack. To achieve this, it contains more coconut meat. Like a machete or a butcher knife, a coconut can be opened. The coconut should be cut vertically and not through the grain. Be careful and remember that experienced Brazilians or Indians can often work on their cocoon opening skills for decades. Alternatively, and safer, you can throw the nut onto a sharp rock or with great force on the ground. In this technique, the nut is often not on the first try, but only after the third, fourth or tenth attempt. Also enjoy coconut meat. It has less fat than meat from ripe coconut and depending on the degree of ripeness it is about 10%. The more mature the nut, the more fat and calories. By the way, lauric fatty acid, which is abundant in coconut meat, is especially valued by many healthy people. In the tropics, soft coconut meat is also a popular baby food.

With a sharp knife you should lift the coconut flower.
However, for most young coconuts you can use a hammer to help.

The store is just a few steps away from the former wall strip and you have to be careful or you might easily miss it.
If you're lucky, you can open the nut this way without damaging the flesh at all. And, therefore, get the opportunity to get coconut milk in the most correct way. Otherwise, we break the shell as necessary and eat the pulp, cutting squares from the shell with a knife.

Audience. As gray clouds and drizzle settled in during our visit, the audience consisted of a few tourists and residents, and some employees from nearby office buildings would arrive at noon. Seating: Several tables and chairs directly in front and in a small interior next to Eistrisen.

Best Variety: Super fresh ice cream sundaes will surely make you happy. Everything was very creamy and pleasantly soft and gently melted on the tongue. If you like, you can order one of the classic sundas on offer, as well as pure ice balls.

Opening a coconut: simple rules

First, pay attention to the three dark spots at one of the sharp ends of the coconut . These are "eyes". One is the softest and can be easily opened, the other two require the application of additional, sometimes instrumental, force. Find the first one, pierce it and widen it a little. Pour coconut juice or drink it - it's healthy.

Wrap the coconut in film or a bag to reduce debris, place it on a hard surface, preferably on a towel folded several times. Hit the seam of the coconut once or twice with a hammer, turn it over to the opposite side and hit again. Remove the fruit from the remaining shell.

Remove the coconut using a paring knife.
Rinse the pulp under running water.

Why eat coconut

Despite the fact that coconut is, in my opinion, the only representative of the plant kingdom that contains saturated fats (like animals), it is still worth eating. Because in addition to fats, it also contains a lot of other useful substances. For example, one man I know eats coconuts literally every day, and is in excellent health. Moreover, eating coconuts is highly recommended for men: it is not clear how, but they help men produce testosterone. But for girls it’s just tasty and healthy. So, boys and girls, let's eat coconut as a dessert from time to time and stay healthy!

What is coconut meat?

When many people mention an exotic nut, a picture immediately appears before their eyes: a crystal clear sea and the snow-white core of a split coconut. It looks very appetizing and has an unusual sweetish taste.

If the coconut is well ripe, the core will be easily separated from the shell. You can eat it right away by cutting it into small pieces. When the fruit is green, coring becomes a more complex procedure.

The pulp can be used to make shavings, which can be used later for culinary delights. To ensure that the product retains its taste and freshness, you can wrap the pieces of pulp in plastic and put them in the refrigerator. In this form it is stored for a month. Dried fruits can also be prepared from coconut pulp. They last even longer, allowing the dried shavings to be used in a wider range of different dishes.

If you include the pulp of an exotic nut in your diet, then after a while a person will notice some improvements in the functioning of his body. Among them:

How to Prepare Coconut Before Eating It

First of all, the coconut must be cleaned. Just with your hands. Because I don’t know about yours, but our stores receive coconuts in an exclusively shaggy form. And so that this wild brown fringe does not float later in coconut milk, it is worth tearing it off (by the way, it would also be a good idea to rinse the coconut itself under the tap).

Refine hearty Asian dishes with coconut water. It gives your dish a flavorful note and is much lower in calories than white coconut milk. For dessert, you can create your own ice cream creations that can be made with water. How about coconut lime ice cream?

How to open a coconut at home with a hammer?

Coconut pulp can be eaten fresh as a snack. Important: Store meat in the refrigerator, otherwise it will quickly become rancid. Alternatively, you can freeze it. Dried—in rasps or as chips—coconut lasts even longer. Fresh or dried grated coconut is very good in cereals. Pure yogurt also imparts a coconut flavor. Meat also cleanses desserts and baked goods.

Coconut pulp: how to use

The coconut tree grows for about 100 years. Throughout this period, coconuts constantly ripen on it. Every year about 450 fruits are collected, which are then used for various purposes.

The pulp of the exotic nut is called copra. It is used in natural and dry form. Copra is found in the food industry and cosmetology. Very often people simply do not know what is best to do with coconut pulp. It can be eaten as an additional or main ingredient for salads, soups, desserts, to prepare shavings, to produce margarine, soap or glycerin, to make cosmetic milk and oil for skin and hair. From one average fruit you can get about 500 grams of dried copra.

With constant consumption of the pulp, you can permanently get rid of vision problems, reduce cholesterol levels and improve the body's protective functions.

The fruit should not be eaten only if a person has an allergy or individual intolerance to coconut.

How to actually eat a coconut

How to eat coconut is a personal matter for everyone. Because you can eat it almost any way you want.

We're lucky enough to have some ice cream and ice balls to entertain the two owners. Both are newbies but absolutely enthusiastic ice cream fans. To the question “Why ice cream?” He quickly answers with a happy smile and bright eyes, “Because ice cream is fun!” And that's what you see and the ice cream parlor. They're currently calling themselves and their store a "work in progress" and we're curious to see what they'll do with their big ideas.

There is a wide selection of delicious ice creams and friendly service in a lovingly decorated, simple atmosphere. We certainly haven't been here for the last time and are looking forward to the summer terrace and the upcoming seasonal varieties. Happy Easter, love the ice cream lovers and ice friends!

I prefer to eat coconut as it is - that is, opened and eaten. It is in this way that coconut pulp best retains that light, elegant nutty taste for which it is so valued. True, most likely, we will not be able to handle the entire nut in one go. So it makes sense to keep the rest in the refrigerator and continue to eat coconut as a dessert - just after.

How to eat coconut depends only on your own imagination.

Useful properties of coconut flakes and pulp

The fruit is the second bread in such exotic countries as India, Thailand and Sri Lanka. It can be found everywhere where palm trees grow on the coasts. Here local residents can tell you all the beneficial properties of the fruit, and also share a huge number of recipes. You can prepare first courses, appetizers, salads, desserts, cocktails and soft drinks from the pulp and shavings.

The pulp contains a rich composition, among which you can find:

Thanks to its unique composition, coconut pulp has a large number of different beneficial qualities and properties. But it has a high calorie content, so people who are faced with the problem of excess weight should not consume coke core in large quantities.

Coconut is recommended to be eaten for problems with the digestive system, as well as heart or vascular diseases. It quickly removes toxins and waste from the body and increases the body's protective functions.

Among the healing properties of the product are:

Increased body defense. It effectively fights various infections, bacteria and viruses.
Quick elimination of the inflammatory process.
Help in the fight against depression and other nervous disorders. Frequent consumption of fruits activates the production of certain hormones. They are called serotonin and endorphin.
Normalization of the cardiovascular system.
Ridding the body of worms and other parasites.
Preventing the development of the disease called Alzheimer's.
Control of hormonal levels.
Obstruction of the growth of the thyroid gland.
Regulating the functioning of the digestive system.
Prevention of various oncologies.
Fight against atherosclerosis.
Beneficial effect on joints.

Coconut pulp has bactericidal properties, which helps maintain the freshness of the fruit for a long time. It does not rot or deteriorate. He is not afraid of high humidity or extreme heat. The paradise nut will retain its firmness and elasticity and will not be deformed or damaged for many years.

Women's use of dried or fresh coconut at home will help significantly reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. You can also make various cosmetics from it, which are distinguished by their natural benefits, which will help preserve the beauty of the body, skin and hair for a long time.

For the stronger sex, coconut is called a real treasure trove of male power. Coconut pulp contains beneficial substances that act as aphrodisiacs. They will help improve the quality of intimacy with a woman, and also increase sexual attraction to the opposite sex.

About the benefits of coconut

Soap and candles are made from coconut oil. Coconut fat is fed to animals, and fashionistas lubricate their hair with coconut oil to give it shine and strength. Coconut milk is used to prepare various dishes, including meat. Coconut flakes are an indispensable ingredient in cooking.

The medicinal capabilities of this plant are wonderful and amazing. The pulp of nuts can restore the strength of a tired body, improve vision, and serve as a preventative against colds. Coconut milk treats kidney diseases, skin diseases, cholera, diarrhea, even oncology.

Eating coconuts normalizes the immune system, treats dysbiosis, osteoporosis, and enhances reproductive activity.

How to choose a healthy coconut

People who permanently live in warm countries know how to choose the right tasty and ripe fruit, which has fresh and juicy pulp inside. To avoid mistakes, you should follow a few simple rules. These include:

It is better to choose a small-sized coconut, which has more mass.
Shake the nut. You should hear the sound of liquid pouring inside. This is a distinctive feature of a fresh product.
Visually inspect the shell. It must not be deformed or damaged. The absence of cracks, chips or dents guarantees the sterility of the pulp and milk inside.

Before eating coconut, you need to make sure that its flesh has a uniform color and a pleasant smell without bitter or pungent impurities.

How to extract coconut milk from coconut

You shouldn’t expect a lot of coconut milk (well, maybe half a cup from one coconut). Also, don't expect the color or taste of real milk: coconut milk is a clear liquid with an unexpected melon flavor. You can get it in several ways:

Coconut milk is an integral and important part of any proper coconut.

A brutal method of extracting milk from coconuts

It often happens that when the shell is cracked, the flesh of the nut is also damaged. Then you just need to drain the milk from the hole formed, and continue the struggle to separate the shell from the pulp further.

Sealed method for extracting milk from coconut

Every self-respecting coconut has 3 round marks arranged in a triangle shape. To extract coconut milk from a coconut, you need to poke holes in these two marks with something long, narrow and iron. Then one will give access to air, and from the second we will calmly salt the coconut milk without opening the shell.

With this method of extracting coconut milk, you don’t even have to pour it out of the nut.

The ideal way to extract milk from coconut

If you managed to remove the shell from the coconut without damaging its flesh, then it is best to cut off the top of the naked nut and pour the milk out of it just like from a bottle.

Recipes with coconut flakes with photos.

Photo: Coconut flakes are ready (click to enlarge)

From Sri Lanka, I brought recipes for original, traditional dishes made from coconut flakes. Sri Lankans prepare a large number of dishes from shavings, but I want to share my favorite dishes from coconut “snow” - these are cakes made from coconut shavings and a cold appetizer made from fresh coconut pulp.

So, let's prepare coconut roti cakes. In Sri Lanka they are called “Pol Roti”

Coconut cakes recipe.

Photo: Coconut roti. In the photo on the right (click to enlarge)

pulp of half a coconut
1.5 cups flour
50 grams margarine or butter
red onion
fresh chili pepper
fresh curry leaves (if possible)
water
vegetable or coconut oil
salt

Place coconut flakes in a large bowl, add all the flour, add softened butter.
Finely chop the onion, chop the chili and curry leaves.
We begin to knead the mass with our hands, adding a little clean water and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Salt to taste, you can add a pinch of ground chili.
Take a saucer and grease it with vegetable oil.
Divide the dough into even, small parts.
Roll it into a ball, place it on a greased plate and distribute the dough over the plate, about 5 cm thick.
Place our flatbread on a well-heated, dry frying pan. After 2 minutes, turn it over, then turn it over again after 2 minutes, and do this until the cake is “brown.”
We do the same with the rest of the dough. These flatbreads are incredibly tasty and it’s hard to stop yourself from consuming them. They go well with curries, especially lentil ones. I described the “Rice and Curry” recipes in detail in another section.

Coconut snack.

Coconut snack. In Sri Lanka it is called “Coconut Sambol”.

This is a very savory and spicy snack that will be a great addition to coconut roti, rice, noodles or just on its own. In Sri Lanka it is consumed daily as it is very healthy.

Photo: Coconut Sambol snack (click to enlarge)

half coconut shavings

lime

Red onion
clove of garlic
chili powder
salt

In a mortar, crush the chopped onion, garlic, salt and chili pepper.
Add the mixture to the coconut flakes.
Squeeze the lemon.

Quick, and believe me, very tasty. Eaten with your hands like everything else in Sri Lanka.

And now I want to tell you how to make coconut milk yourself from coconut shavings.

Coconut flakes at home.

To make coconut flakes at home, we need either a grater or a blender. First, you should extract the white pulp from the coconut shell. It fits quite tightly to the shell, but it is quite possible to separate it. This can be done with a sharp knife, as if picking and breaking. The pulp will separate with a thin, brown layer that needs to be cut off before you start making shavings. At this stage, all that remains is to grate the pulp or grind it in a blender. Coconut flakes are ready.

How to open a green drinking coconut

The drinking fruit is a young green coconut filled with coconut water. The hardness of the peel is comparable to pumpkin. Drinking coconut is easy to open at home:

Make a hole with a “coconut” corkscrew or drill.
Cut off the top with a knife.

Pour the water into a glass or drink through a straw.

The most popular home method for opening a drinking coconut of medium ripeness is to make four cuts with a cleaver, then remove the “lid”. A prerequisite is to be careful not to injure your hands.

This is a dietary product. Coconut juice has a calorie content of no more than 25 units per 100 g (milk has six times more calories).

Coconut water (or juice) is the liquid inside the drupe. Coconut milk is a product of processing the pulp of the fruit.

How to make coconut flakes.

Coconut flakes are formed by processing and crushing coconut meat. After the coconut is peeled, it should be cracked. “How to split a coconut” I described in detail in another article. Now we have the coconut halves in our hands, which means we can start extracting coconut pulp from it.

Photo: This is what the freshest coconut looks like (click to enlarge)

In Sri Lanka, every housewife has a special device with which she can quickly and easily make coconut flakes. I haven’t seen these on sale here, maybe you’ll be lucky to find them. I was lucky enough to buy it in a supermarket in the Sri Lankan city of Weligama. This is what a machine for extracting coconut pulp looks like.

Photo: Manual machine for extracting coconut flakes (click to enlarge)

I'll tell you how to use the machine. You need to take half of the split coconut with one hand, lean it against the toothed roller, and with the other hand turn the handle of the machine, gradually turning the coconut.

Of course, without this miracle thing, making coconut flakes is much more tedious. But in this life nothing is impossible.

How to clean it

Young drinking coconuts are green and yellow in color, but they are difficult to find here. Brown walnut is much more common. First, let's figure out what you can eat in a coconut.

Feel free to take fresh pulp and drink coconut water. The brown skin and peel are also safe to eat (you can see it when you separate the flesh from the hard shell).

Peeling a coconut is easier than it seems. You need to carry out three simple manipulations (it will turn out no worse than that of a native islander).

1. First, find 3 “eyes” on one of the “poles” of the coconut shell. Make holes in them using a screwdriver, nail or a sharp and long knife. If you don’t have enough strength, hit a knife or screwdriver with a hammer (or better yet, ask a man for help - you’ll have something to laugh at together).

2. When the holes are made, turn the coconut over and pour the water into a separate liquid (you can and should drink it too).