Help! I can't get into my coconut

[boxerfamily]

Hi, I feel really stupid, but I can't get into my first young coconut. It has a white outside which can be cut, but there is a harder inside. What do I do?

I hope someone is on who can give me a hand with this. I am going nuts. lol (pun totally intended)

[SmilingRawDancer]

My solution:
Mid-way between the point ---> ^ hit it with the corner of the knife by the handle. Hard.

But there is a video here, and other places as well:
http://rawfoodmedia.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=28


*** I don't open them like she does in that video. I leave the white part and plastic on, and just hit it hard with the heel of the knife. Works every time :)

[boxerfamily]

Thanks for the tip and the link. I bookmarked it. I am pretty darn new lol. I knew if I posted on here someone would come to my rescue. Off to enjoy my coconut milk.

[StarFire]

Wow! that is a really cool link smilingRawDancer! I found it interesting cuz our coconuts come right from the tree so I'm not used to seeing that white stuff or plastic stuff on a coconut! :confused: but - ah-haa... now I know what it is!

[SmilingRawDancer]

*Wants a coconut tree in CA*

I wish I could grow some, but every article I've read about it has been discouraging :-|

But yes, I buy them in a bulk box, plastic-covered, from my local Asian market for .78 cents apiece :)

[Starbuck]

Okay, I have GOT to get to an Asian market. I've been paying upwards of $2.50 per coconut. I've found them for $.99 at my local Ralphs and that's the cheapest around here...

[boxerfamily]

HI Smiling! Where in cali are you? I am in OC. I need that asian market.

One more question, I can eat the meat too right? Because I have found a new love...woot!

Thanks all!

[SmilingRawDancer]

99 Ranch Markets. You can get a box of 9 coconuts for like, 6.99.

I'm LA county :) But DARN close to being an OCer!

http://www.99ranch.com/StoreLocator.asp

[barose]

My solution:
Mid-way between the point ---> ^ hit it with the corner of the knife by the handle. Hard.

But there is a video here, and other places as well:
http://rawfoodmedia.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=28


*** I don't open them like she does in that video. I leave the white part and plastic on, and just hit it hard with the heel of the knife. Works every time :)


Heck, I use a hammer and a small ax...outdoors of course.

[145ish]

Yesterday was the first time I've seen them in any stores and I live in Florida!! There are coconuts everywhere but I can't get into them. The one I saw in the store yesterday was $3.99!

[jeannieh99]

Hi, I feel really stupid, but I can't get into my first young coconut. It has a white outside which can be cut, but there is a harder inside. What do I do?

I hope someone is on who can give me a hand with this. I am going nuts. lol (pun totally intended)

I appreciated that link! I saved it to my favs.:D
The first one I ever tried to open was last week, I ruined my knife because I banged the knife with a hammer. Now my knife has dings all up and down it.:mad: I lost all the water from it...it leaked all over the counter...lol
Is there any difference between the ones with the white around them and the "hairy" ones?
One learns so much here it is awesome!!:D
Jeannie

[RawVee]

I appreciated that link! I saved it to my favs.:D
The first one I ever tried to open was last week, I ruined my knife because I banged the knife with a hammer. Now my knife has dings all up and down it.:mad: I lost all the water from it...it leaked all over the counter...lol
Is there any difference between the ones with the white around them and the "hairy" ones?
One learns so much here it is awesome!!:D
Jeannie

Jeannie,

The "hairy" ones are mature coconuts. They have a higher fat content and the flesh is kind of dessicated, the coconut we're all more familiar with.

Young coconuts actually have a green shell around them. You can sometimes find them that way in Asian markets. The white, cone on one end flat on the other ones you see have been shaved down. Sometimes you can see bits of green still on the white husk.

The easiest way to open them (I eat them almost every day) is to lay it on its side and on the pointed side, shave off the white husk with a sharp knife, cutting away from you toward the point. Rotate the 'nut until you've shaved down to a hard, brown shell. Put it on it's flat end, and with the sharp bottom edge of your knife (the edge closest to the handle, not the point), give it a sharp, hard *whack*. It should pretty easily puncture through. Rotate the 'nut and do it again. And once more. This gives you a "lid" that you can peel off. I recommend putting your Vitamix in the sink and pouring the water out there to avoid spillage. Put the 'nut back on the cutting board, and use a cleaver to whack it in half, or if you can, spoon the meat out.

Enjoy!

[jeannieh99]

Jeannie,

The "hairy" ones are mature coconuts. They have a higher fat content and the flesh is kind of dessicated, the coconut we're all more familiar with.

Young coconuts actually have a green shell around them. You can sometimes find them that way in Asian markets. The white, cone on one end flat on the other ones you see have been shaved down. Sometimes you can see bits of green still on the white husk.

The easiest way to open them (I eat them almost every day) is to lay it on its side and on the pointed side, shave off the white husk with a sharp knife, cutting away from you toward the point. Rotate the 'nut until you've shaved down to a hard, brown shell. Put it on it's flat end, and with the sharp bottom edge of your knife (the edge closest to the handle, not the point), give it a sharp, hard *whack*. It should pretty easily puncture through. Rotate the 'nut and do it again. And once more. This gives you a "lid" that you can peel off. I recommend putting your Vitamix in the sink and pouring the water out there to avoid spillage. Put the 'nut back on the cutting board, and use a cleaver to whack it in half, or if you can, spoon the meat out.

Enjoy!

Thanks sooooo much! I'm going to go to the asian market 5 mins away and stalk up on them. Nutrition wise....what are the nutritional benefits of fresh coconuts? Are they fattening?
Jeannie

[RawVee]

Thanks sooooo much! I'm going to go to the asian market 5 mins away and stalk up on them. Nutrition wise....what are the nutritional benefits of fresh coconuts? Are they fattening?
Jeannie

Jeannie,

See attached nutritional data below. Also, if you have David Wolfe's book, Eating for Beauty, he goes into the incredible health benefits of young coconut. Basically, the water has the same makeup as human plasma, and is used for plasma transfusions in some poor countries. The electrolytes, minerals and so on make it nature's Gatorade!

[SchoolOfRAWk]

Nutrition wise....what are the nutritional benefits of fresh coconuts? Are they fattening?

They are so close to our own plasma that in third world companies and during war times they have used young coconut milk/water for blood transfusions. Isn't that amazing?

[barose]

Thanks sooooo much! I'm going to go to the asian market 5 mins away and stalk up on them. Nutrition wise....what are the nutritional benefits of fresh coconuts? Are they fattening?
Jeannie

I eat about 5 coconuts a week and I'm not fat. :D

Really, I find they are a good source of digestible fat. I used to take virgin coconut oil but the actual coconuts seem to be much better for me. I drink the water after a workout and eat the meat as a small meal.

[RawVee]

Nutrition wise....what are the nutritional benefits of fresh coconuts? Are they fattening?

They are so close to our own plasma that in third world companies and during war times they have used young coconut milk/water for blood transfusions. Isn't that amazing?

Erica, we're on the same page. We sent the same info right after each other. :)

Coconuts rawk!

[jeannieh99]

Nutrition wise....what are the nutritional benefits of fresh coconuts? Are they fattening?

They are so close to our own plasma that in third world companies and during war times they have used young coconut milk/water for blood transfusions. Isn't that amazing?


It is so amazing!! To think all these years I just walked by the coconuts. darn:(

[jeannieh99]

I eat about 5 coconuts a week and I'm not fat. :D

Really, I find they are a good source of digestible fat. I used to take virgin coconut oil but the actual coconuts seem to be much better for me. I drink the water after a workout and eat the meat as a small meal.

The funny thing is I never liked the dried coconut flakes (like for baking), but I love fresh coconuts.
Jeannie

[barose]

The funny thing is I never liked the dried coconut flakes (like for baking), but I love fresh coconuts.
Jeannie

Yeah, I cant eat the flakes plain, but I do used them in raw cookies.

[GHOST27M]

Any thing you want to know about the AWSOME nut is here

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/

I order the extra virgin oil from there by the gallon it smells and taste like coconut! I would use this exlusively when I made SAD tia food.

I went from 320 down to 275 using JUST this oil in SAD diet cooking.

Now I am raw raw and put it into smooties!

PURE ROCKIN ENERGY ! first time My doctor asked me what I was doing to lower my cholesterol ( dropped 11 points) I told him I only use coconut oil ..

BoY DID HE LAY INTO ME !