How to: Open a coconut

Fresh coconut flesh is one of my favorite snacks, a palm-sized chunk of coconut is so satisfying and helps to stave off sugar cravings. It is softer than dried coconut like desiccated coconut, it is fun to eat and is a perfectly portable snack.

The difference between brown and green coconuts

Brown coconuts: these are the older coconuts, the green husk has fallen away. These coconuts have a thicker layer of flesh inside, and only about 1/2 a cup of coconut water.

Green coconuts: these coconuts are younger, they will still have the green flesh on the outside. Sometimes this has been cut away in store purchased coconuts, and it will have a white husk instead. The flesh in these coconuts is very thin, sometimes jelly-like. These young coconuts have much more coconut water inside and are perfect for drinking or using in smoothies.

The How-To

1. Look at the top of the coconut, you will notice three dents. Use a hammer and nail or corkscrew to make two holes through the dents.
2. Place the coconut upside down over a glass, and let the coconut water drain out.
3. Turn the oven on to 200°C and place the coconut in the middle of the oven.
4. The coconut will slowly heat up and after about 15-20 minutes you will hear a crack.
5. Your coconut will have cracked all or part of the way open. If it hasn’t opened completely then drop it onto the concrete and it will open all the way up.
6. The flesh will be much easier to remove from the shell after it has been heated. If the shell hasn’t come away from the flesh in some places use a butter knife to separate the shell from the flesh.
7. Store the coconut flesh in the fridge