How to Get Coconut Out of Shell Microwave

How to remove coconut “meat” from the shell

Millions of people accept enjoyed the coconut demonstrations in the Polynesian Cultural Center’due south Samoan Hamlet. The young men — who do all the cooking, you may call up — brand it look then piece of cake; but one time you’re back home and you’re tempted to buy a coconut from the supermarket, take you ever wondered…

Q:


Is there an easy mode to crevice a coconut and get the “meat” out?

A:

Aye there is, and no hammers, chisels, drills, saws, screwdrivers, nails, or vices, etc., are required. In fact, it’s kind of easy. You don’t even accept to exist Samoan; but first, permit’due south make certain everyone can recognize the “confront” of a husked kokosnoot — like the ones sold in some stores, and empathize how to easily crack one open up:

–Start with a husked kokosnoot. Notice at that place are iii ridges on the outside of the shell running from one end to the other and roughly dividing the nut into thirds. The ridges all come together in a small signal at the “butt” end.

– We want the “face” end, which has 3 darker, round plugged pores:

Looking at the “confront,” you will see that one of the ridges always runs right betwixt 2 of the “eyes” of the coconut’s face.

-The other 2 ridges fall on either side of the coconut’s “mouth,” which is the easiest and softest place to access the juice inside. Practically whatsoever pointed implement can dig through the “mouth,” even a strong fingernail on some coconuts.

-In the Samoan Village at the Polynesian Cultural Center our young men demonstrate cracking the coconut without draining the juice, but yous may want to drink or pour it off first for other utilise.

You’re now fix to crack open up the coconut. Here’s how, if there’due south still juice inside:

– Our Polynesian Cultural Eye Samoan Villagers use a rock, but whatsoever solid tool should work — for instance, the back of a heavy-bladed pocketknife.

– Hold the coconut in one hand with the ridge-between-the-optics up.

– Strike perpendicularly across that ridge midway between the “face” and “butt.” 1 solid blow should crack the coconut all the way around. If not, give it a few additional but gentler taps; or plough it and try the same perpendicular blow across one of the other ridges.

– A this point you might accept to put the striking object down and twist the two halves of the kokosnoot apart.

Here’s a undercover to effort if at that place’s
no
juice within:

– Put your thumb over the pierced “oral fissure,” then follow the directions above. Blocking the air inside the coconut with your thumb creates extra air pressure when its struck, making it easier to cleft.

– And if y’all don’t have a “tool” to strike the ridge between the eyes, achieve the same affair by swinging the whole coconut into a rocky border, for example a cement step, edge of a brick wall, etc., so information technology strikes the ridge perpendicularly. Information technology should crack correct open up (recollect the pollex-trick if you’ve already poured off the juice).

Niu vs. Popo

Next, allow’due south distinguish between young unremarkably-dark-green coconuts, which Samoans call
niu, and mature brown ones (like the ones sold in stores), which they telephone call
popo.

– Immature
niu
shellsare softer than
popo
shells, and can be cut open with a sharp knife.

– The meat inside a truly immature drinking
niu
ranges upwards to virtually a quarter-inch (about .half dozen cm) in thickness. It’s usually soft — maybe fifty-fifty gelled, sugariness, and delicious to eat straight out of the shell. Some people use a spoon to hands scrape it out. Don’t have a spoon? Islanders often employ their thumbnails to push the young coconut meat away from the shell so slurp it upwards.

– Popo
meat, however, is another story: It’south usually nearly a half-inch thick (about 1.25 cm) and is very tightly attached to the beat out. Nosotros’ve seen people endeavour to champ it with their teeth, but human mouths aren’t designed to eat coconuts that style. No, it’south easiest to utilize a knife — not even necessarily a sharp one, which will tend to cut into the shell. In fact, a butter knife is perfect.

Here’southward some other hole-and-corner:

– Assuming the
popo
has been been successfully cracked in one-half, hold one one-half in the palm of your left manus (“lefties” reverse this), butt or confront confronting the palm with the meat-side up.

– Grasp the (butter) pocketknife in your right hand — like you’re shaking hands with it, and gently press the tip into the meat until it touches the inner shell on a shallow angle or bias.

– Push the knife downward on that same angle for at least an inch or so (about 2.5 cm).

– Stop, then quickly rotate your right wrist to the outside . . . and a chewable-sized piece of coconut meat should pop correct off the beat out.

– Rotate the beat out in your left mitt an inch or so, and repeat the slicing and “popping” motions on an angle.

That’s it. Samoans phone call this maneuver
sali popo. Medium-sized kids should easily be able to do information technology. Indeed, some islanders can cut all the meat out in one long strip. Give it a endeavor the next time you lot take a
popo
in your hands. The pieces can be eaten fresh out of the vanquish at that point, only remember to pace yourself: They’re loaded with rich kokosnoot oil.

Using it all up

Finally, empty coconut shells can still exist used at this signal: They make excellent firewood, or they tin be crafted and polished into jewelry, other tools and/or a wide variety of objects.

Shop Polynesia! Nosotros’re NUTS over coconuts!!!

(Click on image to view products on our Shop Polynesia website)

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Story and images by
Mike Foley

Mike Foley, who has worked off-and-on

at the Polynesian Cultural Eye since

1968,  has been a total-time freelance

author and digital media specialist since

2002, and had a long career in marketing

communications and PR before that. He

learned to speak fluent Samoan as a

Mormon missionary before moving to Laie

in 1967 — still does, and he has traveled

extensively over the years throughout

Polynesia and other Pacific islands. Foley

is by and large retired at present, but continues to

contribute to various PCC and other media.