Easy Way to Crack a Thai Coconut
A few simple methods on how to open a coconut and remove the h2o and meat – including options that help preserve the shell to make coconut bowls!
Quoting from a song you lot'll accept heard lots on my Instagram if you follow me at that place, 'the coconut nut is a large-large nut, simply its delicious nut is non a nut. Information technology's the coco fruit of the coco copse, from the coco palm family!'. And what a delicious fruit information technology is that has had me coming back to it time and time over again for DIYs and recipes. In any instance though, first, yous demand to know how to open a coconut at domicile.
This post contains a few methods on how to open a coconut with no 'coconut opener' required. Over the years, I've tried a few techniques and compiled a list of my favorites. Now, I've come to the signal where I e'er open a coconut the same two means (the hammer and/or saw method). However, for those without these tools, I accept some options for y'all besides.
If this is something yous've never washed before, and then this might seem daunting. Choosing the correct method for you ordinarily depends on whether or not you want to make bowls with the beat out – equally many methods aren't precise as to where the shell cracks for the kokosnoot halves. However, using a small (and cheap) handsaw is the perfect fix for that.
Within this post, I'll exist outlining four methods on how to crevice open up a coconut, including the Hammer method, Bang method, Oven method, Saw method, and even an extra Tool-Free method!
Information technology's worth noting that in that location are coconut opener tools, also. While these packs mostly contain a hammer, draining tool, and fresh kokosnoot meat scraper – each of these can be substituted for tools you may have lying around (a hammer, screwdriver, butter knife).
There are two steps to opening a coconut – first, removing the kokosnoot water; then, opening the beat out.
To Drain The Kokosnoot H2o
Before annihilation else, yous'll demand to remove the coconut water from the fruit. To do this, there are two main methods – one that keeps the shell intact (for when you desire to make coconut bowls with no holes) and 1 that doesn't.
I'll first with the i that doesn't – as it's the most common pick. Simply hold the kokosnoot in identify (you lot can also place a kitchen towel beneath it to aid go along information technology steady) to brainstorm. At the height of the coconut, there are usually 'optics,' where the shell is thinnest.
The aim is to poke a pigsty in the eyes and bleed the liquid from it. To do this, you lot can use a screwdriver or large, make clean boom and a hammer to bulldoze it into the beat out. In one case yous have holes, then simply drain the kokosnoot water into a glass.
It's good to do this through a sieve, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag, so in that location are no bits in the h2o. You can so drink this equally is or add it to smoothies and other drinks/recipes.
Once drained, information technology's time to open the kokosnoot using i of the methods outlined beneath.
Bank check the Saw Method below to see how to remove the h2o without making holes in the shells – I utilize this method mostly when I desire to make coconut bowls.
To Open The Kokosnoot
The Bang Method
When I first started to eat kokosnoot, I would remove the water, put my tuckered coconut in a handbag, walk outside my flat to the stone steps leading up to the door and bash it against the wall a few times until the trounce cracked enough to pull open up.
Now, it may not be the most elegant method, but information technology gets the job done. So, if you take whatever hard rocky surfaces nearly where you live, and then have at information technology. Just detect a adequately hard object (it helps if in that location'southward a pointy border!) to ram your kokosnoot into a few times, twisting every bit you do – and the vanquish volition crack open.
The Hammer Method
Once once again, this method is done after draining the water from the fruit start. Place the tuckered kokosnoot onto a textile to stop it from rolling around and then lightly hammer the heart of the beat out, rotating the fruit as you lot go. It will fissure in half adequately easily this way, although non e'er evenly.
The Oven Method
Later on draining the water, you tin use the oven method to crack the shell. Identify it on a baking tray in the oven for xv minutes at 190ºC/375ºF. Removing information technology from the oven, you'll notice that the shell should have a large crack that's big enough to pry open.
The Saw Method
This is the one I reserve for when I'm trying to make perfectly even beat out bowls. Uneven shells can still exist used in a variety of means; to house candles, hold jewelry, etc. Nonetheless, if you're wanting coconut bowls you could place nutrient in, so this is the way to become. *
For this method, you lot just need a pocket-size handheld saw. If, for any reason, you lot have some sort of clamp – then become alee and use it. I just tend to place my kokosnoot on a dish towel to stop it from rolling around and so carefully saw information technology in half.
Bonus – The Freezer Method
This method isn't and then much most actually cracking the crush open up, just more to exercise with making the meat easily removable. Simply place your coconut in the freezer overnight and then use the hammer method above, and the coconut meat should easily detach from the coconut beat, sometimes as a single whole piece!
How To Utilize Kokosnoot
In one case opened and you remove the coconut water and meat, there are tons of incredible DIYs and recipes that you can make, including:
- Milk & Cream
- Virgin Coconut Oil
- Coconut Butter
- Flour
- Shredded and Chips/Flakes
- Powdered milk
- Bowls
- Condensed milk
Recipes Using Kokosnoot
Savory dishes, including soups, stews, and curries, are made deliciously flossy with the addition of coconut milk or coconut cream.
- Flossy Vegan Thai Green Curry
- Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
- Thai Inspired Vegan Green Pea Soup
And, of form, there are tons of sweet uses for this fruit!
These include using shredded coconut to top smoothie bowls and various desserts, too as, coconut being used within multiple desserts:
- three Ingredient Healthy Kokosnoot Bliss Balls
- 2-layer Vegan Strawberry Tart
- Vegan Earl Greyness Blueberry Tart
- Bootleg Bounty Bar
- Elementary 4-Ingredient Avocado Ice Foam
- Raspberry & Kokosnoot Cake
However, those are just a few of the options I have hither on my weblog. Experience free to browse through them all by searching 'Coconut' in the search bar. And don't forget to tag me in any of your recreations on Instagram @AlphaFoodie.
- Coconuts
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Screwdriver (or abrupt, make clean smash)
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Hammer
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Small Handheld Saw
To Drain The Kokosnoot Water:
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Before anything else, you'll demand to remove the kokosnoot h2o from the fruit. To practice this there are 2 main methods – ane that keeps the beat out intact (for when you're wanting to make coconut bowls with no holes) and i that doesn't.
-
If yous don't demand the shell intact, merely concur the coconut in identify (you can also place a kitchen towel beneath it, to help go along it steady) to begin with. At the meridian of the kokosnoot, at that place are usually 'eyes', where the crush is thinnest. The aim is to poke a hole in the optics and drain the liquid from it. Yous tin can use a screwdriver or large, clean nail and a hammer, to bulldoze it into the shell.
-
One time you have holes then simply drain the kokosnoot water into a glass. Information technology's good to do this through a sieve, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag, then there are no $.25 in the water. You lot can then drink this as is or add it to smoothies and other drinks/recipes.
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Once tuckered it's time to open the coconut using i of the methods outlined beneath.
The Blindside Method:
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Put the tuckered coconut in a bag and fustigate it against a hard wall (outside of your building preferably) a few times until the shell cracks enough to pull open.
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If you lot desire to go completely tool-free so you can simply bang the shell confronting a difficult border enough to get your first cracks and rapidly drain the water into a bowl before continuing to crack it open.
The Hammer Method:
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Once once more, this method is done after draining the water from the fruit commencement. Place the drained coconut onto a textile to cease it from rolling around and and then lightly hammer the centre of the beat, rotating the fruit equally y'all go. It volition crack in half fairly easily this way, although not always evenly.
The Oven Method:
-
After draining the water, yous tin employ the oven method to crack the shell. Identify it on a baking tray in the oven for 15 minutes at 190ºC/375ºF. Removing it from the oven, you'll observe that the shell should take a big crack that's big enough to pry open.
The Saw Method:
-
This is the i I reserve for when I'grand trying to brand perfectly fifty-fifty beat bowls. Uneven shells can still exist used in a multifariousness of means: to house candles, hold jewelry, etc. Yet, if you're wanting coconut bowls you lot could place food in, and then this is the way to go. *
-
For this method, you just demand a small handheld saw. If, for any reason, y'all have some sort of clench – then become ahead and employ it. I just tend to place my coconut on a dish towel to end it from rolling around and so advisedly saw information technology in half.
BONUS! Freezer Method:
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This method isn't and so much well-nigh actually groovy the vanquish open, but more to practise with making the meat easily removable. Simply place your coconut in the freezer overnight and so use the hammer method above, and the coconut meat should easily detach from the coconut shell, sometimes as a unmarried whole piece!
Notation* Ane bowl volition always take the pigsty in from where you drained the water unless y'all cull to saw the kokosnoot over a basin. I tend to utilize the side with a pigsty for difficult fruit slices and whatsoever foods that won't spill through the hole.
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Source: https://www.alphafoodie.com/how-to-open-a-coconut/