If this is your first time buying a coconut, opening it may seem like a mission impossible. Here are some practical tips.
Coconut is one of the most popular fruits of the summer, to be eaten on the beach, but it is also used in winter, as a healthy dessert to be spoiled at home, or during the holidays, to prepare desserts or enrich a recipe.
It can also be bought at the supermarket, but how many, once the whole walnut has been purchased, would be wondering how to open it? At first glance, it may seem like a difficult job, but following these tips will become child’s play.
How to proceed
In front of a basket full of coconuts, beyond the dimension, they could all look the same. In reality, the heavier walnut will be the best, because inside it will have a greater quantity of water, also synonymous with the freshness of the product.
Once we have bought the coconut, we just have to open it. Place the walnut on a hard and flat surface, a wooden cutting board is an ideal solution. By turning the nut you will notice three dark-colored circles similar to the three holes of a bowling ball one of which will have a softer texture than the other. Thanks to a bottle opener or a screwdriver you can go to pierce the one that is softer and let out all the water contained inside.
The water contained in the walnut, we can pour it into a bowl and drink it after filtering it. Or it can be used to store coconut in the fridge.
Three methods
At this point, we have three different methods for opening :
- Hammer. You can equip yourself with a hammer and start giving firm blows along the entire circumference of the walnut until you notice a crack in the woody part which will begin to detach.
- Oven or freezer. After preheating the oven to 200 degrees, you can put the coconut inside and let it “cook” for about 5 minutes. In this way, the internal part will not undergo any kind of variation, but the walnut will easily shatter then with a decisive hammering. In some cases, the opening takes place already in the oven. The alternative to the oven is the freezer: let the walnut freeze for 15 minutes and then proceed with the opening of the shell.
- Cleaver. The third method of opening the coconut is suitable for those who already have some experience, in this case, you will have to hold the nut in your hand and with a heavy knife, such as a cleaver, hit it firmly and decisively, exactly around tiits diameter until it opens.
Once the walnut has been broken, it is time to separate the pulp from the shell with the help of a small knife. After cutting the coconut into small pieces, rinse it under running water and put it in the fridge to enjoy it fresh.
