To Crack And Peel Fresh Coconut Recipes

TO CRACK AND GRATE FRESH COCONUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or screwdriver and drain liquid into a bowl to sample (see note, above). Bake coconut in oven 15 minutes.
• With a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver break shell and with point of a strong knife remove flesh, levering it out carefully. Remove brown membrane with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler. Fresh coconut keeps, chilled, in an airtight container 1 week.
• Grate coconut as needed on small teardrop-shaped holes of a 4-sided grater or finely chop in a food processor. Freshly grated coconut keeps, frozen, in an airtight container 3 months.

TO CRACK AND PEEL FRESH COCONUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or small screwdriver and drain liquid into a bowl to sample. If it tastes sweet, the coconut is fresh; if it tastes oily, the coconut is rancid and should be discarded.
• Bake coconut in oven 15 minutes.
• Break shell with a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver, then remove flesh with point of a strong knife, levering it out carefully. Remove brown skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.

FRESH UNSWEETENED COCONUT CREAM AND MILK

Steps:

• Remove flesh from shell of coconut (drink the water, its good for you!), then peel the dark skins off the chuncks of white meat.
• Cut the meat into 1 to 2 inch chunks and place them in a HEAVY DUTY food processor fitted with a steel blade.
• Grind for 30 to 60 seconds. Pause to scrape down th sides of the processor bowl; then pulse and blend until the meat turns to pulp.
• Add the cup of warm water and process for 30 seconds. Then transfer the pulp and liquid to a large mixing bowl with a pour spout.
• "Milk" the coconut by massaging and squeezing the meat at least 89 times (yes, not 88 and not 90!). According to Su-Mei, this is a Thai ritual believed to produce a rich and creamy coconut milk.
• HOW TO CRACK A COCONUT: Choose a good coconut, one that feels heavy for its size. Shake it and listen for sloshing. The "eyes" on top should be uniform dark brown. To crack, place a Phillips screwdriver in one of the three eyes and hit it with a hammer to punch a hole. Repeat on another eye. Drain off the liquid and drink. Put the coconut on center rack of 375F oven, bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature Lay on a hard cement surface, strike a few good blows with a hammer until cracked. Break into four or five manageable pieces, and holding a piece with a dish towel, remove the meat from the shell with a flat head screwdriver. It should come off easily. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the hard dark rind.