How to Crack a Coconut

Coconut is a fruit full of nutrients and vitamins. Even its water is good for health. But, opening the coconut and separating meat and water can be quite a daunting task for anyone. Here are a few simple methods that can be used to open a coconut and separate its different contents - meat and water.

Methods to Open the Coconut

Firstly, Drain Out the Coconut Water:

• Before cracking the shell, you need to take out the water first.
• Firstly, to take out the water, hold the coconut firmly on the table - you can spread some cloth underneath to make it stable.
• If you look at the coconut, you can see two eye-like openings.
• These openings have the most delicate skin, and here is the spot where you can hammer lightly and drain the water out of it.
• You can drain the water using the strainer to filter all the bits of husk.

Then Use a Microwave Oven:

• You need to preheat the microwave for a few minutes for this method.
• Preheat the oven. Rate up to set the temperature to 375°F (190°C).
• Make sure it is warm enough.
• Now place coconut in any utensil and let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes.
• You can see a small crack in the coconut shell after a few minutes.
• But, if there aren't any signs of cracking, you need to bake it for a few minutes more continuously.
• But don't heat it for much longer.
• After there is a crack, let it cool for a few more minutes.
• Wrap the coconut around a thick cloth and lightly ram it against the hard surface.
• This way, you can quickly obtain coconut meat.

These are a few easy ways to help you handle the daunting coconut. But, one thing to keep in mind is that you should be careful while hammering or screwing the shell of the coconut.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. How is coconut used in different food items?

Coconuts can be used in many different ways apart from being a refreshing drink. Coconuts can be consumed in various ways. The powdered or desiccated coconut can be used to garnish or make something sweet. And coconut drinks can soothe our bodies from within.

2. How can we recycle the coconut?

• It can be used as charcoal.
• It can be used as fuel.
• You can use the shell to plant herbs or small plants.
• It can be used as a bird feeder.

3. What if there is no opening in the coconut?

If there are no eye-like structures, you can make small holes using a screwdriver. You can also cut using a sharp knife or saw to cut the coconut in half and extract the meaty part.

4. How many days can we preserve coconut?

You can keep a coconut fresh for up to four or five days. But for a longer time, you need to refrigerate the coconut.

5. Which knife can be used for slashing a coconut?

You can use the slicing knife by sharpening it a bit to cut the coconut shell into two halves.