Coconuts

[suggestionsplease1]

I have just bought one from the supermarket and wondering how to approach it.

Any tips? For opening it up and using it?

I think many years ago I used to hammer a screwdriver into one of the eyes to pour the water out (think I actually used to open up 2 of the eyes so there wasn't a vacuum preventing the liquid draining.) And then I'm sure I just used to smash it with a hammer to crack it open and ping the flesh out with a sharp knife.

Are there more civilised ways to approach a coconut?

And how do you eat yours?

We just do it with a hammer. When it cracks, gently pull apart so you can save any water. The flesh comes off fairly easily with a fork or knife if you slice into it.

Your way is the way I go about it.....I don't think there's a genteel approach!

I buy it ready chopped

I never done it myself but after watching this video, it doesn't look too bad. Other option of baking in the oven sounds good too.

Look at the 3 dimples on the bottom, it looks like a face. The 'mouth' dimple is softer than the others, you can poke a knife point in and twist it to make a hole

The one time we bought a coconut, Ex took charge of preparing it.

This he did in the hall, it involved a small saw, several chisels and some newspaper.
When he had finished, we were left with a small pile of inedible slivers of coconut, a pile of damp newspaper, an injured big toe and numerous long gashes in the hall carpet.

He wasn't very good with pineapples either!

@AdaColeman O no! This is what I'm worried about! I think I will take it outside with a couple of old tea towels underneath it to stop it slipping, as recommended in the clip @roguetomato posted.

I use coconut quite a lot. I’m also very clumsy. The safest method is in the oven.
First I find the soft eye and use a corkscrew to make a hole.
Then I drain the water out over a glass.
Set oven to 195 deg Celsius (fan assist).
Place the coconut on a baking tray for 15 min.
I usually check to see if the shell has started to crack. If not put it back for another 5 min. You don’t want to heat it too long otherwise it cooks the flesh.
Once it’s started to crack I put the coconut in a tea towel and then put it into a bag. I then drop it onto our outside paving! Not too manically, so that the shell comes off but leaves the coconut whole inside. Then I just peel the thin brown inner skin with a potato peeler under cold water. I usually end up with a white coconut ball. It’s easier to peel as a whole rather than if it broke into pieces.

I just watched the video posted by @roguetomato
That is basically what I do, but I try to get the coconut out whole, as it is easier to peel. You can eat that brown skin though. It’s just I don’t use that in the recipe I do.

@AdaColeman

The one time we bought a coconut, Ex took charge of preparing it. This he did in the hall, it involved a small saw, several chisels and some newspaper. When he had finished, we were left with a small pile of inedible slivers of coconut, a pile of damp newspaper, an injured big toe and numerous long gashes in the hall carpet.

He wasn't very good with pineapples either!

Sounds like the time I bought a frozen lobster from Aldi or Lidl, I don't remember which.

Trying to get into it involved a hammer, pliers, a knitting needle and lots of tea towels.

The result was lobster spray up the walls, bits of shell everywhere a bruised thumb and a tiny amount of lobster meat with further flakes of shell in it. I think I'll stick to having them in restaurants or eating prawns at home.

First photo is after the removal of outer shell.
Second is once I’ve peeled it.

Goodness. It seems wild animals can be subdued more easily. I think a bounty will have to do me.

@TheNinjaWife that is exquisite! That will be my new challenge, to try to get a coconut out whole from its shell.

@AdaColeman You’ve just fondly reminded me of being about 10, DF proudly brought home a coconut for the family which I thought was the height of exotic sophistication. I didn’t see much of the butchery, it was done in the shed, took many tools and we ended up with rice pudding instead