How To Remove Coconut Meat Without Breaking Shell

Click on this to view the viral video of our own Kap Tafiti, showing the world how to 'crack a coconut'!

How to remove coconut "meat" from the shell

Millions of people have enjoyed the coconut demonstrations in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Samoan Village. The young men — who do all the cooking, you may call up — make information technology look and so easy; but once you're back home and yous're tempted to purchase a kokosnoot from the supermarket, take you ever wondered…

Q: Is there an easy way to fissure a coconut and become the "meat" out?

A: Yeah there is, and no hammers, chisels, drills, saws, screwdrivers, nails, or vices, etc., are required. In fact, it's kind of piece of cake. You don't even have to exist Samoan; but start, let's make sure everyone tin recognize the "confront" of a husked coconut — like the ones sold in some stores, and understand how to hands crack one open:

–Start with a husked coconut. Notice in that location are 3 ridges on the outside of the vanquish running from one end to the other and roughly dividing the nut into thirds. The ridges all come together in a small point at the "butt" terminate.

– We want the "face" end, which has 3 darker, circular plugged pores:

Looking at the "face," you will see that one of the ridges always runs correct between two 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 any pointed implement tin dig through the "mouth," fifty-fifty a strong fingernail on some coconuts.

-In the Samoan Hamlet at the Polynesian Cultural Eye our young men demonstrate corking the kokosnoot without draining the juice, but you may want to drink or cascade it off first for other apply.

You're now ready to crack open up the coconut. Here'southward how, if there'due south still juice inside:

– Our Polynesian Cultural Center Samoan Villagers use a stone, but whatever solid tool should work — for example, the back of a heavy-bladed knife.

– Concord the coconut in one hand with the ridge-between-the-eyes up.

– Strike perpendicularly across that ridge midway betwixt the "face" and "barrel." One solid blow should scissure the coconut all the mode effectually. If non, give it a few additional but gentler taps; or turn it and effort the same perpendicular blow across 1 of the other ridges.

– A this point y'all might have to put the striking object downwardly and twist the two halves of the coconut apart.

Here's a secret to effort if in that location'southward no juice within:

– Put your thumb over the pierced "rima oris," and then follow the directions to a higher place. Blocking the air within the coconut with your thumb creates actress air pressure when its struck, making it easier to crack.

– And if you lot don't have a "tool" to strike the ridge between the optics, accomplish the aforementioned affair by swinging the whole kokosnoot into a rocky edge, for example a cement step, edge of a brick wall, etc., and so information technology strikes the ridge perpendicularly. It should crack right open (remember the thumb-trick if y'all've already poured off the juice).

Niu vs. Popo

Adjacent, permit's distinguish between young usually-green coconuts, which Samoans call niu, and mature brown ones (like the ones sold in stores), which they phone call popo.

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

– The meat inside a truly young drinking niu ranges upwards to about a quarter-inch (about .6 cm) in thickness. It's usually soft — maybe even gelatinous, sweet, and delicious to eat straight out of the beat out. Some people use a spoon to easily scrape it out. Don't have a spoon? Islanders often utilize their thumbnails to push the young coconut meat abroad from the shell and then slurp it up.

– Popo meat, however, is some other story: It's commonly nigh a half-inch thick (nigh 1.25 cm) and is very tightly attached to the shell. We've seen people try to gnaw it with their teeth, but human mouths aren't designed to eat coconuts that style. No, it's easiest to use a knife — not fifty-fifty necessarily a sharp i, which will tend to cut into the beat. In fact, a butter knife is perfect.

Here'southward some other secret:

– Bold the popo has been been successfully cracked in half, hold 1 half in the palm of your left hand ("lefties" contrary this), butt or face up against the palm with the meat-side upward.

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

– Button the pocketknife downward on that aforementioned bending for at least an inch or and so (about 2.v cm).

– End, and so quickly rotate your right wrist to the exterior . . . and a chewable-sized slice of coconut meat should popular right off the beat out.

– Rotate the shell in your left hand an inch or so, and repeat the slicing and "popping" motions on an angle.

That'due south it. Samoans call this maneuver sali popo. Medium-sized kids should easily be able to do it. Indeed, some islanders can cut all the meat out in one long strip. Give it a endeavor the adjacent time yous have a popo in your easily. The pieces tin be eaten fresh out of the shell at that bespeak, but remember to step yourself: They're loaded with rich coconut oil.

Using it all upwardly

Finally, empty coconut shells can nonetheless be used at this point: 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 Basics over coconuts!!!

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

Want to meet this in an piece of cake to understand video? Click hither!!!!

View our easy to make Tahitian Kokosnoot Breadstuff recipe direct from the Polynesian Cultural Center kitchens!

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Story and images past Mike Foley

Mike Foley, who has worked off-and-on

at the Polynesian Cultural Center since

1968,  has been a full-time freelance

author and digital media specialist since

2002, and had a long career in marketing

communications and PR earlier that. He

learned to speak fluent Samoan as a

Mormon missionary earlier moving to Laie

in 1967 — still does, and he has traveled

extensively over the years throughout

Polynesia and other Pacific islands. Foley

is mostly retired now, simply continues to

contribute to various PCC and other media.

Source: https://www.polynesia.com/blog/polynesian-cultural-center-tips-remove-coconut-meat-shell

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