Sometimes you don’t see the stain until after the item is washed. Likely is that people just tossed the water since a big majority of the flavor is where the coconut meat is. Place the water in a saucepan and put it on a burner. But now it sounds tempting! Place a butter knife or spoon in between the shell and the meat and pry the meat from the shell. Unlike most unsaturated oils, coconut oil … (Like mine did.) I still vividly remember my first taste of the classic southern style coconut layer cake made with finely shredded fresh, moist coconut and whipped cream. You could also use a nail and hammer it in, I guess. If you’ve got a good slow-style juicer, you can run the meat through to get an excellent rich cream without adding any liquid. Reply, Thanks for this tutorial. Bake the coconut halves on a cookie sheet for 10-20 minutes to loosen the coconut meat from the shell. Subscribe and receive David's free guide to the best pastry shops in Paris, Holiday Gift Idea! Virgin coconut oil is best but if you don’t like the taste you can use expeller pressed coconut oil instead. Using a sharp knife or corkscrew pierce the eyes of the coconut. I used a big rock to crack the rest of it open :-) Reply, David, I was told in India that coconut water contains elements that might cause the mixture to ferment faster. Flash forward 6 years: We’ve found a more effective way to crack and prepare a coconut. Coconut milk is made by blending water with the meat.) It’s all so easy and not any effort whatsoever. To make coconut oil, put the milk to boil. Had the privilege of visiting Hawaii for the first time last year and one of my favorite things was the ice cold coconuts on the road side that one could buy and they would pop a straw into it and you would drink up all the yummy water inside. In Malaysia where I live, we drink the coconut water. Interesting method, Now I have the urge to go to Chinatown to get a whole coconut. Once the coconut splits, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Rinse the coconut and wipe dry with a paper towel. Before you buy your coconut, shake it. I primarily use fresh coconut meat (the kind extracted here) for garnishing, ice creams, sorbets, and even cocktails. Also make sure there is no mold on the outside, where the eyes are. To toast the coconut, spread the shredded coconut on an unlined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 12 – 18 minutes, stirring a few times while it’s cooking, so it toasts evenly. (This will help shrink the flesh from the shell). Boiling the Coconut Heat 4 cups of water. Add water to the same coconut and that gives you milk. Let the mixture sit until the coconut softens and the water has cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Make sure to only use refined coconut oil that has not been processed with chemical solvents. The coconut is ready when the meat has slightly pulled away from the shell. (I’ve seen people here do this with a machete), @David: The mature coconut water is usually thrown away because the taste has gone off by then; no longer sweet and delicious. Egg Carton Chick and Bunny Candy Holders for Easter, Cinnamon Apple Pie {With a Lattice Crust}, Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts: A Delicious Two-Ingredient Appetizer, 4-Ingredient Orange Sauce Recipe for Duck, Goose, or Chicken, Whole coconut (obviously) – found at many grocery stores, Electric drill or Phillips-head screwdriver. I would then take it to our little cabin and pry out all the fresh coconut to eat- very yummy!! FYI, the cream also makes a killer dairy-free whipped cream! Reply. Reply, I usually pierce one of the eyes with a corkscrew and then drain the water into a glass (which I greedily drink). This means the coconut is over-ripe. Basically the water is an electrolyte-rich treat to reward yourself with after the work of opening the nut. But it’s never thrown away, as others pointed out. It should smell sweet without smelling sour. If it sounds like there is a lot of milk, that is a good sign. Blend until smooth, … Brown rice can be used in place of oatmeal. And then it took us about an hour to get the coconut meat free from the shell. Jonathan Lovekin / bonappetit.com. Drain The Coconut – Invert the coconut over a glass bowl or measuring cup and drain the coconut … You make fresh coconut cream and milk! The coconut will begin to split along the line that you’ve been hitting. You can eat the meat as is or use a vegetable peeler to create shredded coconut. 1.Drain the coconut water by poking holes through the ‘eyes’ and tilt the coconut water into a glass. Reply, By far the best tutorial, both textually and visually, on opening a coconut then preparing the meat that I have ever read. Many thanks. Reply, Its ok not to roast it. If you love coconut and want a fun challenge give this coconut-cracking method a try. Don’t discard the coconut water. The first pressing of the coconut meat is coconut cream or what we call in Filipino “kakang gata”. (It can be strained and enjoyed as a beverage.). The soft, nutty taste works well in so many different contexts, from desserts to savory dishes. Sprinkle coconut strips over oatmeal … Coconut cream pie filling is prepared on the stovetop and poured into a fully baked crust. Pork chops marinated in coconut water, lemongrass (or lemon zest), some sugar, fish sauce and garlic are delectable and very tender. Always wear an old shirt, or apron that covers any fabric you care about! Method One Using Dried Coconut. Begin by peeling the brown skin off of the coconut using a vegetable peeler (you can still eat this or add to oatmeal, smoothies, etc) and rinsing the white meat. Return to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until thickened. But who has ice-picks in this day and age? Reply. Collect dried branches or dried coconut leaves and make fire. If you have a sharp enough cleaver, you can easily hack away at the top of the coconut so you can either stick a straw in, drain out the water, and scrape out the meat with a spoon. Use a screwdriver and meat mallet and hammer holes into 2 of the eyes. How to Make Coconut Bacon. You make fresh coconut cream and milk! And usually an old,lean guy comes to manually ( its a cool looking apparatus ) take off the top of young coconuts and reveal the brown one inside which is then stored and used to months!! If you want shredded coconut, run the vegetable peeler along the rim of the coconut to create shreds. It’s a diuretic and has a cooling effect. Sometimes, when your not lucky you get a rancid type of coconut and there even the water will taste funny. To make coconut milk, we don’t (never) add coconut water. Here, our favorite recipes starring the versatile coconut. Thinner strips will toast more quickly than thicker ones. We just grate the coconut meat and squeeze it in a white cloth. Would be interesting to know the answer on why folks don’t use the coconut water. Then dehydrate the pulp and use that too. The rest of the eyes are optional. All you need is a bag of dried shredded coconut or coconut flakes and a food processor or blender.. Place coconut shreds or flakes in a food processor or high powdered blender and process until a smooth, runny butter forms. Desiccated coconut tends to be finer in size than shredded … Reply, Great post. Thanks. Then squeeze all the juices out. Directions for opening young coconuts here: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/cookingtipstools/ss/youngcoconut.htm Reply, Coconut water has a pronounced laxative effect…. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Very primitive and fun!! Breakfast. In Tahiti, we use everything but the shell. Reply, Some people use electric drills but drill bits get kind of icky and not sure I, or others, want to drink liquid that passed through a drilled hole. When the coconut halves are cool, use a flat-head screwdriver wedged in between the meat and shell to pry them apart. Reply, Oooh, those look like the coconuts on TV! But I have been informed there is a ‘coconut opening station’. For decoration, you can take a vegetable peeler and make thin strips, or grate the coconut with a metal grater into shreds. The top of that coconut flesh can be cut off and if the smell hasn’t permeated the bottom layers, that coconut is also good to use. Store the water in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Turn … Bliss! Wrap it in a thin cotton cloth or use a … Put the coconut halves on a shelf in a preheated 400ºF (200ºC) for 20 minutes, which will help separated the meat from the shell. I just made a German Sweet Chocolate cake and the toasted fresh coconut will be a nice garnish. You may want to hold the lid of the blender with a kitchen towel to prevent spills and burns. The coconut is ready when the meat has slightly pulled away from the shell. I think our apartment neighbors probably thought I was doing some heavy-duty carpentry.). Drink the water..don’t throw it away.. Also, if you ever get a chance, try eating the inside flesh of a tender coconut..In Bombay,where I come from, we use the top of that tender coconut as a spoon to scoop this flesh and eat it right at the roadside! It looks like it will freeze well, but it is a bit of an experiment. They would use a massive machete to whack off the top. I think it stays sweet only about one day so I’d advise to drink it as soon after opening as you can. Even if it did taste pleasant like coconut water from young coconut, adding it to desiccated coconut would affect the taste. Freeze in flat, sandwich sized ziplocks or ice cube trays for up to 6 months. I need a better knife. Get recipes and blog posts sent right to your Inbox! Reply, It’s nice to see someone posting about how to prepare a coconut :) That’s interesting because coconut water is generally sterile, until you open the coconut. I’ve tried several methods of opening coconuts, but this is the best (I figured this out after stabbing myself with an ice pick a couple times). But since I only crack one coconut open every few months or so, I don’t know if I want to give valuable cabinet space to something I would only use occasionally. It should never taste “off”. (Note that the liquid isn’t coconut milk, as some believe; it’s coconut water. Reply, we figured out by crazy trial and error how to get into coconuts, but to get it out-we were still using crazy, hacking methodologies so thanks for this! Drain off the coconut milk and use it like milk in cooking or to cover grated coconut for freezing. The difference between coconut cream pie and coconut custard pie comes down to how the filling is prepared. 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