Coconut!

[mykidzrkute]

ok so i know i have a ton of questions and i thank everyone so much for being so helpful! So my question now is about fresh coconut, the only memory i ever have of buying a fresh coconut is that i couldnt' even open the damn thing let alond do anything else with it! Is there really liquid inside a coconut? How do i open it? Once it's open what do i do with it? i love coconut but i've never had it (because i couldn't open it! ha ha ha ha!!)

[kaleidoscopeeyes]

Yes, there is! It's delicious. Opening a coconut can be really difficult. There are many websites and video demonstrations showing you how to do it. Basically you take a cleaver and whack the top three times, forming a triangle around the tip. Drink the liquid and then scoop out the "meat". It tastes great by itself, but you can use it in recipes too. Marinate it in braggs or Nama Shoyu and dehydrate for coconut jerky, put it in smoothies or desserts! It's up to you!

[rawstrength]

Here is my sure fire way of opening a mature coconut (the brown hairy kind).
First, take a knife or a pen or anything sharp and poke one of the eyes out. Drink the liquid inside with a straw or pour it into a bowl.
Next, put the coconut inside of a canvas bag (or a heavy-duty plastic garbage bag). Bring the bag with the coconut in it out side, and smack it really hard against some pavement.
Inside will be peices of coconut with a smooth brown skin (the inner layer) and the outer layer (hairy skin). Separate the outer layer from the inner layer pieces and throw the outer layer pieces away. Then take the smooth brown skin off of the edible portion with a vegetable peeler.
Some uses have already been mentioned above. I love it grated with carrots, pineapple and agave in a salad.