Coconut is a delicious and versatile food that is perfect for eating fresh. Maybe you don't like buying whole coconuts because you think you'll need a drill, saw, and other tools to open them. You can actually open a coconut with things you probably already have at home. You can heat the coconut in the oven to soften it so you can open it by hitting the coconut against a hard surface. If you don't have an oven, you can crack the coconut with a hammer or hammer. Once the coconut has been opened, use a knife or vegetable peeler to scoop out the flesh so you can eat it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Removing Water from Coconut
Step 1. Make a hole in the top of the coconut
There are 3 "eyes" or indentations at the top of the coconut, and one of them is the softest. Use a sharp knife to pierce each indentation. When you've found the softest indentation, stick the tip of a knife into it and make a hole that's about 1.5 centimeters long.
You can also punch holes in the grooves with a large nail or screwdriver
Step 2. Turn the coconut over on the glass
You need a glass to hold the coconut water. Place the coconut upside down on top of the glass so that the hole you made is in the top of the glass.
- You can also collect coconut water using a bowl. However, the glass is just the right size because you don't have to hold the coconut to get the water out.
- You can also collect coconut water using a measuring cup.
Step 3. Let the coconut water run out completely
Once placed on top of the glass upside down, let the coconut sit there for a few minutes or until all the water is gone. You may have to shake it a few times to get the remaining water out.
- If you want to open the coconut with the help of the oven, you have to remove the water first. If the water is not removed, the coconut may explode in the oven if it is heated for too long.
- If you want to open the coconut with a hammer, you don't have to remove the water first. However, the kitchen can be messy if the water is still there. So it's a good idea to get the water out first before hitting it with a hammer.
- You can get about to cup (120-180 ml) of coconut water from one coconut.
- Young coconut water has a sweet taste. If you get water that is thick and greasy, it's likely spoiled and should be thrown away.
Method 2 of 3: Opening Coconut in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven
If you want to use heat to open the coconut, you must first preheat the oven. Set the temperature to 190 degrees Celsius, and allow the oven to reach its full temperature.
Step 2. Place the coconut on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes
Place the drained coconut on a baking sheet, then put it in the oven. Bake the coconut for about 10 minutes or until the skin cracks.
- If the skin doesn't crack after 10 minutes of baking, continue baking until the coconut shell starts to crack. Check the coconut every few minutes so you don't bake it longer than necessary.
- If you're in a hurry, microwave the coconut. Place the coconut on a microwave-safe baking sheet, then set on medium to high heat for 3 minutes.
Step 3. Remove the coconut and wrap it with a towel
When the coconut starts to crack, remove the pan from the oven. Let the coconut cool for 2-3 minutes. After that, wrap the coconut with a napkin or small towel.
Step 4. Put the coconut in a garbage bag, then smash it on a hard surface
Place the towel-wrapped coconut in a large trash bag. Seal the bag tightly, and pound the coconut against a hard surface a few times until it cracks.
The harder the surface you hit it with, the easier it will be for you to break the coconut. The ideal place is concrete
Step 5. Remove the flesh from the coconut shell using a knife
If it breaks, remove the coconut from the trash bag and remove the towel. Take each piece of coconut and use a knife to carefully pry out the white flesh adhering to the shell.
- You don't need to use a sharp knife to pry the meat out of the shell. The best way to do this is to use a butter knife. Only use a sharp knife if you're having trouble.
- Position the coconut chunks steadily as you pry the flesh out of the shell. You can clamp it on the kitchen table.
Step 6. Peel the fibers in the outer skin of the coconut flesh
After you separate the coconut flesh from the shell, there may still be light brown fibers on the white outside of the coconut flesh. Remove these fibers with a vegetable peeler as you would peel potatoes and other vegetables. Once the fiber has been removed, the coconut is ready to eat or cook.
If you don't have a vegetable peeler, you can carefully peel off the fibers adhering to the coconut flesh using a sharp knife
Method 3 of 3: Opening a Coconut Using a Hammer
Step 1. Wrap the coconut in a towel, then hold it with one hand
Once the water is drained, wrap a napkin on one side of the coconut. Hold the side of the coconut that is wrapped in the napkin with your non-dominant hand so that the part of the coconut that is not covered by the napkin is in front of you.
If you wish, you can place the coconut on the kitchen table in a stable position. However, you will need to position them so that you can break them down properly
Step 2. Twist the coconut, then beat it with a hammer until it breaks
Hold the coconut wrapped in a napkin, then tap it firmly with a hammer. Rotate the coconut while continuing to beat along the shell until it cracks and splits in two.
- The most ideal tool for opening coconuts is a metal hammer.
- If you don't have a hammer, you can use a hammer to crack the coconut.
Step 3. Separate the coconut shell and place it on the kitchen counter with the cut side down
If the coconut shell has cracked, use your fingers to separate it in half. Place the coconut on the kitchen counter with the cut side down.
If the coconut doesn't split open, repeat the previous step by hitting the shell with a hammer. There may be parts of the shell that are not completely cracked
Step 4. Hit the coconut with a hammer to loosen the flesh
With the coconut facing down, hit each part of the coconut with a hammer. This will loosen the meat stuck to the shell so you can easily remove the meat.
- Be sure to hammer the hammer all over the shell to loosen all of the coconut flesh.
- It doesn't matter if the coconut you hit with a hammer breaks into small pieces. This actually makes it easier for you to remove the meat from the coconut shell.
Step 5. Slide the knife in the gap between the shell and the meat to remove the meat
Once the meat is loosened by hitting it with a hammer, slide a butter knife in the gap between the shell and the coconut flesh. Use the knife to carefully remove the coconut flesh from the shell. Repeat this step for all the coconut pieces.
Use a butter knife so you don't worry about cutting the knife while doing this
Step 6. Remove the fiber from the meat
After the meat is removed from the shell, you will find a thin layer of fibrous, brown skin on the outside of the coconut flesh. Peel these fibers carefully using a vegetable peeler until only the flesh remains.
Once the skin has been peeled, you are now ready to eat or cook the meat
Tips
- The water in coconuts is not coconut milk, but coconut water that tastes sweet. This water is part of the growth of the coconut whose color and taste will change, depending on the level of maturity of the coconut. Coconut milk is a product made by squeezing the white flesh of the coconut, usually using hot water. However, you can also make your own coconut milk.
- You can also split a coconut by throwing it at a rock. This breaks the coconut so you can get to the flesh.
Warning
- Never open a coconut by biting into it. The coconut will not open and your tooth may break.
- Be careful when hitting the coconut with a hammer. You have to hit it hard, but not too hard to keep control of the hammer. Do not let your hands hit the hammer accidentally.
- Do not put the coconut in the oven until the water has not been removed. If left too long, the coconut may explode and the water will turn into steam creating high pressure in the oven.
