How to make coconut at home. Coconut flakes. How to open a coconut

20.09.2020

It doesn't matter why a coconut appeared in your home - whether it is a gift of fate or your own whim, but you have to do something with it. Despite the rather harsh appearance, opening a nut is not such a difficult business if you know which side to approach it from.

How to crack a coconut

Of course, this nut is exotic and not familiar to everyone. But this does not mean that we will not be able to cope with it.

The fruit of a coconut tree is more correctly called a drupe rather than a nut.

To cut a coconut "like a nut", we must stock up on the necessary tools and follow a certain sequence of actions.

Preparing inventory

We will need:

a hammer;
a nail or screwdriver;
a large knife or hatchet for meat;
glass;
towel.

Do not be intimidated by the abundance of the listed items. Some of them are interchangeable and indicated in case another item is not at hand. Which tool you use depends on how you open the nut.

Drain the juice

There are three dark spots on one of the "poles" of the nut. It will be easier to make a hole in these places.

Coconut water is often mistakenly referred to as "milk". Actually, coconut water (juice) and coconut milk are two different things. Water is what is inside the nut, and the so-called coconut milk is obtained from crushed pulp with the addition of water.

You need to choose the softest spot and make a hole in it with a nail or a screwdriver

Place the coconut on a towel to prevent it from slipping on the table.
Place a nail on one of the marks and hit it with a hammer. Calculate the power of the blow! If you overdo it, you will end up with a hammered nail, not a hole.
Punch two holes to help the coconut water flow out more easily and tilt the nut over the glass.

Do not count on a full glass of juice, there is not much of it in a ripe (brown) nut.

We break the nut with our bare hands

It is difficult to imagine a Papuan walking under the palm trees with a set of carpenters. Coconuts have been eaten since time immemorial, which means that there are some "primitive" ways to bring sweet pulp to the world.

The easiest way to open a nut if you have nothing but your own hands is to hit it hard on a hard surface. For example, on a concrete wall. The right hook will have the desired effect if you aim: hold the nut so that the blow hits the most convex part of the nut's equator. As a rule, one decent blow is enough for a crack to appear. The disadvantage of this method is that if the gap is too small, you cannot just break the nut with your hands into two halves and you will have to repeat the maneuver. And if you are so strong that you simply smashed the coconut against the wall, then you will not be able to enjoy the coconut juice - it will flow out.

How to open a coconut with a knife

If there is at least a knife, then this greatly simplifies the matter. It is desirable that it be a solid tool that inspires respect, for example, a chopper knife, hunting knife or "chef's knife". You can use it to cut a coconut in at least two ways.

Opening through the hole

If you have already made two holes in the shell and drained the juice, feel free to start cutting using the existing holes.

We insert a knife into one of the holes with a tip.
We hit the handle several times. You can do this with a hammer, or you can just use your fist.

This method guarantees that the nut will crack, but does not guarantee the symmetry of the resulting parts.

Video: cutting with a knife through a hole

Stabbed in the rib of a coconut

In this way "full" nuts are opened, with juice inside. The first step is to evaluate the “exterior” of the knife and determine which is heavier, the blade or the handle. The sharpness does not matter, because we will tap the nut, not cut. If the blade is heavier, use the blunt side. If the handle is heavier, then take the knife by the blade.

Find a natural break line roughly in the middle of the nut. As you remember, this is where the shells crack the fastest.
Act accurately and carefully: with one hand, hold the nut in weight and constantly turn it around its axis, and with the other hand knock on this line with the blunt side of the knife.
As soon as a crack appears, slide a knife blade into it and slightly push the shell apart.
Pour the juice into a glass.
Now unseal the nut using your knife more forcefully.

Video: how to split the shell into two equal halves

How to open a green "drinking" coconut

Green fruits are unripe nuts that have not yet matured. In terms of the density of the peel, they are somewhat reminiscent of a pumpkin, which means that you can easily handle a green nut with a kitchen knife. Just cut off one of the poles of the coconut like a cap and enjoy!

Green coconut juice reduces appetite, normalizes digestion, blood glucose levels, thyroid function and metabolism

Coconut water is low in calories, it quenches thirst well, helps to get rid of bladder infections and restores physical strength after intense exertion.

Safety precautions when opening a nut

While coconut is easy to handle, be careful with sharp, stabbing, cutting objects. When wielding a hammer, try to protect your fingers. By the way, if of all the ways to open a coconut, you just decided to hit it with a hammer wherever you have to, then put it in a plastic bag before that, so as not to look for pieces scattered throughout the kitchen.

Peeling the tough skin and extracting the pulp

The extraction of the pulp will go faster if you consider the following rule: the more shells, the easier it is to do this. Therefore, if you do not use any "life hacks", then the most difficult thing will be to pick out the copra from those very perfect hemispheres, which were discussed above.

Insert the knife blade between the shell and the edible part and separate the piece

The most primitive way to extract the pulp is as follows: insert the blade of a knife between the shell and the edible part, and, swinging the knife, separate the piece. Then another one. And further. The main thing is not to rush anywhere.

This meditation activity is not suitable for everyone. Things will go much faster if you use the following method:

We will not throw away the shell

If carving a coconut is so impressive that you want to remember these exciting moments, make a souvenir out of the shell. Most often, the halves of the nuts are used as a salt shaker, candlestick, plate for buttons, keys and other little things. If the shell is rather deep, then by turning it upside down, you will get an excellent eco-house for your hamster. Small and unsightly shards serve as drainage for indoor flowers.

Photo gallery: decor and household items from coconut shell

Candlesticks made of coconut halves will decorate any holiday The coconut shell feeder is very environmentally friendly Egg-shaped box - almost Faberge Cacti in a coconut planter feel at home

Terms and methods of storing coconut

One nut is usually eaten right there, so the question of how to store it is not even raised. It's another matter when, for some reason, these coconuts are “heaps”. Whole nuts are kept cool for up to three weeks. But if you do not work in the very store where you were tempted to buy coconuts, then you cannot possibly know how long they were on the shelf before you were tempted by them.

Coconut is a delicious and nutritious tropical nut. It is used in many recipes. But in order to use coconut for culinary purposes, it must be cooked.

How to open a coconut?

So let's take a coconut. If you look at it, you will see several depressions in the peel, located side by side. Place the coconut on the table so that these indentations are on top. To pierce them, you need a lot of strength and dexterity, if in doubt, entrust this matter to the stronger sex.
When you poke holes in the coconut, drain the coconut water into a clean, suitable container, prepare it in advance. Coconut water has a specific, but pleasant, aroma and almost no taste, most often it is salty. You can drink it right away, you can mix it into different dishes, from juices and cocktails to sauces for meat and fish dishes.
Coconut water will add a new flavor and pleasant exotic aroma to all dishes and drinks. It is most convenient to make holes in a coconut with a corkscrew, screwdriver or straight knife without extending the blade.
When you have drained the water from the coconut, you can continue on. Getting the pulp out of the coconut requires patience and a small hammer.
Tap the coconut from all sides without using too much force - the nut should crack by itself. If that doesn't help, increase the load and tap the peel harder. When the coconut is cracked, you can remove the pulp from its walls.
Take a large knife and divide the coconut flesh into small squares. Separate them from the shell, peel them of brown crusts, which are often at the point of attachment of the pulp to the shell. Coconut can now be eaten raw without cooking. Use the coconut pulp as a separate dessert. It tastes good with juices and milk, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails.

Coconut - coke shavings recipe

You can make a seasoning from coconut for various dishes - the famous coke shavings.

To make a shavings recipe, grate the coconut pulp or grind it in a food processor.
To cook coconut, preheat the oven, the optimum temperature for cooking is 180-200 degrees. Spread the foil on a baking sheet, you can use special paper for baking pastry. Spread the chopped coconut pulp on a mat and place in the oven.
Cook the coconut until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Tip: do not cook shavings if fish or meat has been cooked in the oven before, and it smells of spices and other extraneous dishes, otherwise the shavings will instantly absorb the smells. Then it will become unusable for adding to most dishes.
Store ready-made coconut flakes in a tightly closed container in a dry and dark place. Do not store coconut shavings for more than six months.

Coconut milk recipe

You can also make milk with coconut water.

To do this, simply pour the chopped pulp with clean boiled water.
Pour in as much water as you have coconut pulp. Let it brew for about half an hour, after which you can drain the water through the filter. The filter is easy to make from gauze by folding it in several layers.
Coconut milk is immediately ready to drink in its pure form. It can be added to drinks or sauces.

After opening the nuts and removing the coconut juice, the white pulp is kneaded and dried and then crushed. The properties of the resulting dry product practically do not differ from the properties of fresh coconut pulp. At the same time, the calorie content of the shavings is much higher.

The main purpose of this product is for use in cooking. In addition to adding to sweet dishes, shavings can be used in salads, meat dishes, side dishes. This will diversify the diet by adding original and non-standard food to it.

Varieties

Depending on the particle size of the chips, the following grades are distinguished:

coarse is the least valuable shavings because it is roughly ground
medium - a type of shavings that are medium ground;
fine - the highest quality variety, represented by finely ground shavings, in which there is a large amount of fat.

Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines and Indonesia are considered the leaders in the production of coconut flakes.

Beneficial features

Coconut flakes:

it has a porous structure and a large amount of dietary fiber, due to which it cleans the intestines well and improves digestion;
is rich in useful nutrients - vitamins B, E, C, iron, calcium, fructose, potassium, sucrose, essential fatty acids (in particular, lauric acid, which can normalize cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of atherosclerosis);
recommended for ear pain, impaired vision, viral and fungal infections, urological diseases, reduced immunity;
effective as a home remedy against worms (can be used even in children at a dose of 1 teaspoon before meals).

Harm

Coconut flakes can only be harmful to people who cannot tolerate coconut fruits. Also, do not get carried away with shavings for people with allergic reactions. If you do not have allergies and you tolerate coconut well, you can use the shavings without fear.

How to choose and where to buy

You can find coconut flakes at almost any grocery store. It is best to purchase shavings in transparent packaging, because this will allow you to consider the purchase well.

Small coconut flakes may be the squeeze of coconut pulp left over from the extraction of the coconut oil. Such pomace is dry, which may affect the result of its use. Pay attention to the type of coconut flakes written on the packaging (we wrote about this above).

You will see on sale not only white, but also shavings of different colors. However, think carefully about whether it is worth treating yourself to a dessert with bright shavings, since dyes are mainly used for its production.

In health food stores, you can see organic coconut flakes, then you will be completely confident in the quality and healthiness of the chips you buy.

Also in such stores they sell shavings, the fat content of which is reduced, which is convenient for people who monitor their diet and try to avoid excess fat in their diet.

How to do it yourself

It is quite possible to cook coconut chips at home.

Stages of obtaining coconut flakes at home:

Choosing a good coconut - good quality and ripe.
Removing coconut juice.
Peeling the outer skin and removing the pulp.
Rubbing the pulp.
Drying or using.

You can buy a nut at any time of the year, but the most worthy fruits appear on sale from October to December. Choose a hard fruit that is free from cracks, streaks, mold. Also carefully examine the "eyes" (closed holes on the fruit), making sure that they are not wet. Be sure to shake the nut - in a fresh coconut the juice will gurgle and overflow.

The next step is to drain the coconut juice. The juice can be drunk or drained by making a hole in some "eye" of the nut and inserting a tube there. To remove the top coat of the fruit, tap the coconut with a hammer and discard any areas of the shell that have come off. You can also cut the nut using a metal saw, after which it will be very easy to extract the pulp from the halves obtained.

Chop the nut and get its snow-white pulp, take a regular vegetable grater and any container.

Rub the pieces of pulp smoothly, slowly and carefully, then the structure of the future chips will turn out to be uniform. You can also use a combine if it has a suitable attachment.

The finished shavings can be used immediately or dried a little. You can also mix the resulting shavings with vanilla sugar.

Application

The main application of coconut flakes is confectionery:

Chips of coconut pulp are added inside rolls, pastries, cakes, as a delicious aromatic filling.
It is used to decorate and sprinkle ready-made treats. It can be seen on sweets, glazes, muesli, chocolate, bars, curd snacks and other sweets.
The product is also used in the preparation of savory dishes, such as meat.
Coconut pulp is especially in demand in Asian cooking. Coconut flakes mixed with chili pepper (ground) are a very piquant seasoning for both dessert and savory dish.

Recipes

Apple pie

You need:

a kilogram of apples;
one glass of flour, coconut and sugar;
200 grams of butter;
4 eggs;
chayn. a spoonful of soda;
3 tea. tablespoons of lemon juice;
50 grams of powdered sugar.

Rub butter, eggs, sugar and lemon juice, add flour, 3/4 cup shavings and baking soda. Grate 100 grams of apples, add to the dough, then knead it well and put in a mold. Arrange the sliced \u200b\u200bapples on top of the dough. Put in the oven for 45 minutes, and a few minutes before the end of baking, sprinkle the cake with 1/4 of the shavings that you have left, and also powdered sugar.

Butter cookies

Whisk two eggs and 100 grams of sugar, add 200 grams of coconut and stir. Pour 100 grams of wheat flour into the mass, a little baking powder and, after mixing, put in the refrigerator for half an hour. After wetting your hands in water, form a cookie and bake for about 15 minutes.

Melt 200 grams of white chocolate and 200 grams of butter, stirring constantly over low heat. Add 400 grams of condensed milk to the melted ingredients, stir and add 70 grams of coconut. The resulting cream should be kept in the refrigerator for several hours in a glass container. This cream can be used to lubricate cakes, pastries and even just slices of bread.

Meringue cookies

You need:

100 grams of white coconut flakes;
100 grams of sugar;
1 protein.

Combine the sugar and coconut flakes in a bowl. Add the protein and after stirring, spoon out the future cookies on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Bake for about 7 minutes.

For cooking you need:

200 g of coconut flakes;
70 g icing sugar;
100 ml cream;
70 g butter;
milk chocolate (about 200 g).

In a bowl, combine the coconut and powder, and pour this mixture into a saucepan with warmed butter and cream. Having made small balls from the resulting mass, keep them in the refrigerator for one hour. After melting the chocolate, dip the coconut balls into it (use toothpicks), then send the candy to the refrigerator overnight.

Mix in one container 0.75 cups of sugar, a glass of kefir, one egg, one and a half cups of flour and baking powder (10 grams). Pour the resulting dough into a mold, and on top evenly distribute the filling represented by a mixture of 0.75 cups of sugar, a little vanillin and 100 grams of coconut flakes. Bake for about half an hour, and so that the shavings do not burn, 10 minutes after you put the pie in the oven, cover it with foil.

Storage

Keep the coconut flakes in a cool, dry, odor-free environment. Purchased unopened packaging can be stored for up to 12 months. It is recommended to use self-made shavings immediately, or, after drying a little, store in the refrigerator.

You can learn more about the benefits of coconut by watching the following video.

Photo: Coconut flakes using a special machine from Sri Lanka (click to enlarge)

In this article, we will touch on the topic of coconut flakes. I will tell you how to get shavings from coconut pulp and how to make shavings at home. Then we look at the coconut recipes that local hostesses from Sri Lanka shared with me. Prepare coconut tortillas and coconut pulp snack.

Coconut pulp. How to use coconut pulp. The benefits of coconut pulp.

Coconut is the second bread in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and other states, where coconut palms are scattered along the coasts. It is the natives of the east who share with us traditional recipes for dishes made from coconut pulp. In fact, there are quite a few dishes with coconut pulp, including, with the addition of shavings, first and second courses, salads, snacks, sweets and much more are prepared.

Coconut pulp is rich in fats, vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates, and at the same time, chips are very high in calories. Coconut pulp is an excellent intestinal scrub that can remove toxins and toxins from the body. The use of shavings normalizes the cardiovascular system, improves overall health, and improves immunity. Therefore, unconditionally, coconut is invaluable to humans.

How to make coconut flakes.

Coconut flakes are formed by processing and crushing coconut pulp. After the coconut has been peeled, it should be split open. I described in detail in another article. Now the halves of the coconut are in our hands, which means we can begin to obtain coconut pulp from it.

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

In Sri Lanka, each housewife has a special device with which coconut chips are quickly and easily obtained. I have not seen such on sale, maybe you will be lucky to find it. 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 coconut machine (click to enlarge)

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

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

Coconut flakes at home.

To make coconut flakes at home, we need either a grater or a blender. First, remove the white flesh from the coconut shell. It fits snugly enough 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 flesh will peel off with a thin, brown layer that needs to be cut off before we start making the shavings. At this stage, it remains to grate the pulp or chop in a blender. The coconut flakes are ready.

Recipes with coconut flakes with a photo.

Photo: Coconut flakes ready (click to enlarge)

So, we are preparing roti coconut cakes. In Sri Lanka they are called "Pol Roti"

Coconut tortillas recipe.

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

What do you need:

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

What we do:

half coconut flakes
red onion
clove of garlic
chili powder

What we do:

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

Fast and very tasty. It is consumed with the hands, like everything else in Sri Lanka.

And now I want to tell you how to make coconut milk from coconut flakes on your own.

How to make coconut milk from coconut flakes.

There are two ways to make coconut milk from flaked coconut. One of them is quite simple.

Method number 1. Using a blender.

Put the fresh coconut pulp into a blender and fill with one or two glasses of water. We turn on the blender and as the color and consistency change, we determine the readiness of the milk. It should be thick and opaque. Now you can strain the milk through cheesecloth.

Method number 2. Manually.

We take the fresh pulp of one coconut, pour one or two glasses of water into the shavings (the amount of water depends on the desired concentration of coconut milk). And now we carefully mash the pulp with our hands and squeeze the milk with our palms. The liquid will become denser and begin to take on a rich, white color. Now is the time to strain the milk through cheesecloth.
Coconut milk is the main ingredient in curry dishes. see this link.

These are the little coconut tricks we've covered. I hope my tips and recipes have come in handy.

Thanks for reading. Write and ask questions.