Selecting a fresh coconut.... how?

Gardener972 · Mar 11th, 2008, 14:03

How do you know if the coconut you are buying is fresh and not spoiled (like the last one I bought)? What do I look for?

manojb · Mar 11th, 2008, 18:42

My wife usually shakes it and listens whether she can hear the water splashing inside. Our neighbourhood store also offers a refund if the cococut turns out to be spoilt.

Gardener972 · Mar 11th, 2008, 23:49

The last one I bought had water in it but spoiled. When I cut into it, it was moldy, soft & spoiled.

Sadanand Kamath · Mar 11th, 2008, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by manojb

My wife usually shakes it and listens whether she can hear the water splashing inside. Our neighbourhood store also offers a refund if the cococut turns out to be spoilt.

The more reliable method is to tap the coconut with your knuckle or with the metal ring. Normally a good coconut will give a normal clear sound from the tap while a spoilt coconut will give, more or less, a thud sound. This is easier said than done. The recongnition of the sound from the tap of a good coconut will come with experience.

I have been buying coconuts with this method and I can vouch for it because there has been very few occasion when I got the spoilt coconuts. In any case, spoilt coconuts are exchangeable with my shopkeepers free of cost.

Sadanand

ebby · Mar 12th, 2008, 00:30

When you shake a mature cocunut next to your ear it should have minimal water sound . A cocunut with pleny of water is not mature and is likely to be spoilt and it will be soft and spongy. A cocunut with no water will be copra and one with full water will be tender coconut, fit for drinking if fresh!

Gardener972 · Mar 28th, 2008, 06:41

OK, I'm trying it again! It had a good, solid "thump" and water in it when I shook it. We'll see! I'll keep you posted...

Cardamom · Mar 28th, 2008, 09:33

Ok since we're on the topic of coconuts - does anyone have any tips for cracking them?

I was reading this guide here: http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/crackcoc.html

and I just don't have the guts to crack it like that with a cleaver. I chicken out every time. My roomate's boyfriend always ends up doing it for me, but he just kind of whacks it with a hammer and voilà!

Any suggestions?

-C

greerdd · Mar 28th, 2008, 10:49

some more info

http://www.ehow.com/how_2192994_sele...h-coconut.html

amarama · Mar 28th, 2008, 10:52

what do these coconuts look like. Are they the pointy white ones? I had a coconut that was pink inside, It was the best tasting ever. Someone told me those are the spoiled ones!

Munivar · Mar 28th, 2008, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cardamom

Ok since we're on the topic of coconuts - does anyone have any tips for cracking them?

Imagine the coconut as earth with the long-haired extension and the three dotted depression as the poles. Hold it in a way that you can hit the equator. If you hit the center with one smooth hard blow, it will crack evenly along the equator. You should keep a bowl nearby to catch the water. Experts like me, can drink it directly off the crack.

After emptying the water, turn it around and a small blow will completely crack the shell around the larger crack.

Then its ready for a nice coconut chutney...

capt_mahajan · Mar 28th, 2008, 12:20

How do you select a fresh coconut?

Ask the guy. Tell him you will give him a rupee extra if you get about three quarters of a tall glass of liquid out of it.

Else you will give him two rupees less.

Rarely fails.

Cardamom · Mar 29th, 2008, 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munivar

Imagine the coconut as earth with the long-haired extension and the three dotted depression as the poles...

Wow! Now that is some useful visualization techniques for approaching the coconut, Munivar. I will definitely try to think about it this way next time. I'll feel less like I'm just whacking it with no results!!

Thanks,
C

Gardener972 · Apr 1st, 2008, 07:12

Well, it was success! The coconut was perfect. Next question, how do you get it out of the shell? Is there such thing as a coconut knife?

Nick-H · Apr 1st, 2008, 09:34

There certainly is!

Some of the odder-looking devices in Indian kitchen shops are for getting coconut out of shells -- but I suspect that in most kitchens it is just jabbed at with a strong knife.

ebby · Apr 1st, 2008, 12:09

Well, there is a grater available in the south indian market, a round serated ( 4 of them) grater with a handle which is inserted into the half cocunut and then turned to remove the pulp. Or you could slice it length wise inside the shell and then insert the knife between the shell and the pulp to lever it out etc.

Mar 11th, 2008, 14:03	#1
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 334	Selecting a fresh coconut.... how? How do you know if the coconut you are buying is fresh and not spoiled (like the last one I bought)? What do I look for?

Apr 1st, 2008, 09:34	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,763	There certainly is! Some of the odder-looking devices in Indian kitchen shops are for getting coconut out of shells -- but I suspect that in most kitchens it is just jabbed at with a strong knife. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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Mar 11th, 2008, 18:42	#2
manojb Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 428	My wife usually shakes it and listens whether she can hear the water splashing inside. Our neighbourhood store also offers a refund if the cococut turns out to be spoilt.

Mar 11th, 2008, 23:49	#3
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 334	The last one I bought had water in it but spoiled. When I cut into it, it was moldy, soft & spoiled.

Mar 12th, 2008, 00:30	#5
ebby Brain dead member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mysore, India Posts: 986	When you shake a mature cocunut next to your ear it should have minimal water sound . A cocunut with pleny of water is not mature and is likely to be spoilt and it will be soft and spongy. A cocunut with no water will be copra and one with full water will be tender coconut, fit for drinking if fresh!

Mar 28th, 2008, 06:41	#6
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 334	OK, I'm trying it again! It had a good, solid "thump" and water in it when I shook it. We'll see! I'll keep you posted...

Mar 28th, 2008, 09:33	#7
Cardamom Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York, NY Posts: 285	Ok since we're on the topic of coconuts - does anyone have any tips for cracking them? I was reading this guide here: http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/crackcoc.html and I just don't have the guts to crack it like that with a cleaver. I chicken out every time. My roomate's boyfriend always ends up doing it for me, but he just kind of whacks it with a hammer and voilà! Any suggestions? -C

Mar 28th, 2008, 10:49	#8
greerdd Account Closed Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NY Posts: 25	some more info http://www.ehow.com/how_2192994_sele...h-coconut.html

Mar 28th, 2008, 10:52	#9
amarama Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: very near the Mexican border Posts: 164	what do these coconuts look like. Are they the pointy white ones? I had a coconut that was pink inside, It was the best tasting ever. Someone told me those are the spoiled ones!

Mar 28th, 2008, 12:20	#11
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,575	How do you select a fresh coconut? Ask the guy. Tell him you will give him a rupee extra if you get about three quarters of a tall glass of liquid out of it. Else you will give him two rupees less. Rarely fails.

Apr 1st, 2008, 07:12	#13
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 334	Well, it was success! The coconut was perfect. Next question, how do you get it out of the shell? Is there such thing as a coconut knife?

Apr 1st, 2008, 12:09	#15
ebby Brain dead member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mysore, India Posts: 986	Well, there is a grater available in the south indian market, a round serated ( 4 of them) grater with a handle which is inserted into the half cocunut and then turned to remove the pulp. Or you could slice it length wise inside the shell and then insert the knife between the shell and the pulp to lever it out etc.

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