I always thought cocoNUT was a big nut (I wonder why? :-) but I was watching a youtube video showing how to open one, and the guy mentioned that it was a fruit. I was like, no way! And then I looked it up on Wikipedia and it said:

"Botanically, a coconut is a simple dry fruit known as a fibrous drupe, instead of a true nut."

[en.wikipedia.org]

Who knew! So that means it would fall under the umbrella of fruitarianism and it would explain why I like it when I don't really like nuts (hard to digest).

Cool, good to know.

How do you open up a young coconut? I bought one the other day and tried to open it for what felt like hours....but I gave up.

To open a coconut, use a big, square "meat cleaver" type of knife. Chop downwards with the knife, using the BOTTOM, INSIDE CORNER (the corner closest to your hand on the handle) to make contact with the coconut. It will hack/cut right into it, making a clean slice/incision. [IF you try to use the flat edge of the blade or the front corner of the blade, like most of us do until someone explains this trick, it just won't work!] Simply make four cuts like that, rougly in a square, then "peel back the square flap" if your cuts didn't cut it completely out, or "remove the square plug" if your cuts did. Your first attempt may be a little sloppy and take a few extra cuts, but don't worry; after a couple of times practicing, it becomes easy to open them well, every time. Even I can do it!

The whole key is to hack downwards into the coconut (like chopping with an axe) using that INSIDE CORNER of the blade!

The whole coconut with its husk on is a fruit under the botanical definition which doesn't care if the outer fruit part is edible or not. The part that makes the coconut a fruit under the botanical definition is the husk. Without the husk it is just a seed; as a peach without the outer sweet flesh is just a seed, the peach pit. The coconut one eats is the seed and it is not a fruit.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2007 04:59PM by brome.

I open young coconut with a machete. (This is closest I ever get to being a warrior.) I put the coconut on the side and wack it until open. Then I collect water. Then I wack it more until fully open. Then I spoon the meat out.

My husband likes using a drill.

Gosia


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Where do you buys young coconut? I want to use the juice and the meat in my smoothies? Anyone know?

They are available in supermarkets here. I think Asian shops is the go too.


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Here's a little video on how to crack open a coconut. I used this and got it my first try.

[vids.myspace.com]

thanks everyone

That video shows a nice safety technique of rasing the other hand, but blows with the flat edge of the blade like that will only work on younger and fresher (i.e., softer) coconuts, and it helps if you are a strong guy. Also, the "overshoot" of the incisions may well allow the juice inside to flow out, spilling some where you don't want it (if you are pouring it off instead of drinking through a straw).

I strongly recommend using the inner corner of the blade, as I described above. I know from firsthand experience and experiments (also theoretically from Physics) that it works MUCH BETTER.

I opened up 7 cases once for a raw wedding cake, I had hard callouses on my hands.


COCOCOOCOOCCOOCNUTS>>> my name is coconutcream, I love it, you mix thai coconut flesh. MMMM I love it.

I remember when I changed my email to coconutcream this guy at the tree of life ( Kasha) came down on me because they learned thai coconut flesh is not phase 1 and that I should be called greenjuice instead but I was adamant. I love sweet stuff..