Since I've never been around coconut palms before, I couldn't resist harvesting one today and exploring it. The one I picked was brown and dry looking, but I could hear some juice splashing about inside. I figured it would have maybe a cup of water and a nice thick layer of white meat. My guess was surprisingly close for a beginner.
I've learned since being here that you can eat coconuts in many different stages. Green coconuts have much more water and are fun to drill into and drink with a straw. Inside the nut will also be a film of gelatinous flesh, which you can enjoy (after drinking all the water) by breaking the whole nut open and scooping with a spoon. Over time, the water and gelatin are forming into the hard meat that we are all familiar with in shredded and dried form. A coconut will hold onto a tree for 18 months.
I'm not sure how old the nut I pulled off the tree was, but it was nicely developed. Since I wanted the water first, I tried making a pouring hole with a hammer and screwdriver. The tiny dirty drips I achieved were very frustrating. James, Jennie, and I finally all gathered around the drill with the biggest bit we could find and made a lovely gouge. We shook out all the water that we could into a bowl.
Then we went outside with a machete and began the process of cracking our coconut. James took some whacks, but no success. Then I took over. I got three well-aimed whacks to crush into the nut, then I pried it open with my Samson-like hands and biceps. It was rather messy, but I rescued the crumbled chunks of delicious flesh and washed them with the rest that I popped out of the shell with a knife.
I ran my coconut water through a sieve into a cup and sipped it as I sat at the kitchen table with knife and cutting board. I sliced all the flesh into thin strips, discarding into my mouth all the odd-shaped bits, for uniformity sake. After some deep thought about how much coconut one stomach can handle, I decided to make a snack out of the rest. I've put the strips into salt water to soak. Tomorrow I will dry and roast the pieces in the oven. Even though coconut usually has sugar, rather than salt, added to it, I am hopeful for success.
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3 comments:
When I was in high school, my youth group took a trip down to Belize. After church on one of the Sundays we were there, a few of the church members had a coconut (a HUGE one) that they cracked open and poured out the milk for us to drink. I normally hate coconut, but the milk is rather delicious (although, apparently, it's a natural laxative, so be careful ;) ).
Coconut water is also naturally sterile. The water was used for emergency cleaning and infusing in the blood by doctors during wars fought in the tropics.
I love the image of you prying the coconut open with Samson-like biceps.
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