Young Thai Coconut Throwdown

Ladies, gents, friends and loves alike - help!

I had my first rendezvous with a young thai coconut this afternoon and let's just say, it wasn't pretty. I eventually got it open at the top but couldn't hack it all the way open to get the meat out so ended up scooping out what I could get with a spoon through the top.

I don't currently have a meat cleaver but was using one massive chef's knife, to no avail. Is a meat cleaver the only option? Any other suggestions about how to open it?

Also, how long can the coconut milk and the meat store before spoiling?

My smoothie was fabulous but it was a 45 minute endeavor and seemed just this side of worth it. Could use some advice from anyone who knows the tricks!

Thanks in advance! *heather*

Tags: coconut, thai, young

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Permalink Reply by heather on March 28, 2008 at 9:52am: Thanks, Rhonda! Eeek about the formaldahyde. The price at the Chicago WF was 1.99 each but we have an Asian market right around the the corner so I'll check there. And I'll wash well next time which I didn't do this time. And I'll google the O.N.E. water. That sounds much better! The pulp as noodles? What's that about?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rhonda on March 28, 2008 at 11:18am: Hey Heather.
If the pulp comes out in sheet like bits, we slice them up like long noodles, add sprouts, strings of bell peppers, water chesnuts or jicama, shredded carrots and a cool sauce of pineapple, ground flax seed, cashews, coconut milk, cilantro, tumeric, seasalt, cayanne, and pepper.... it's a festival of asain noodles type dish. It's a hit around my house because it has the consistency of noodles, but no bloating afterwards!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sherry on March 28, 2008 at 9:58am: Heather - www.onenaturalexperience.com is the link to the coconut water. Once you order it takes a few days, and is delivered UPS at your doorstep! The coconuts are too much aggravation for me, although I understand how good the meat is - I just know me...they'd go to waste. Let me know how you like it - enjoy!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jessica on March 29, 2008 at 10:44am: Reading this thread, I was getting very confused about coconut milk and coconut water -- isn't coconut milk made with the flesh and the water is the liquid you find when you crack a young nut open? Anyhow -- I found this site on how to crack a mature coconut and also information on nutritional benefits -- machete/cleaver is the way to go but mind yourself, step 3 here doesn't look to me like a particularly safe way to hold the nut!!!

http://www.cookycoconuts.com/openacoconut.html
http://www.cookycoconuts.com/coconutnutrition.html; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sundari on March 29, 2008 at 10:50am: I can't wait to order my coconut juice from One:) I hope to make Debbie's wheatgrass powder and One's coconut juice new staples of my diet. Any suggestions for uses? Can I add it to my green juice in the morning?
xo,
Sundari; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dharma on March 29, 2008 at 11:22am: Sundari, We are on the same page. Monday (payday), I'm ordering O.N.E. and Deb's wheatgrass powder. I too would welcome any suggestions on how to add these. I'm thinkin mixing them together? peace~tina; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sherry on March 29, 2008 at 12:35pm: Sundari & Tina, The coconut water is a little on the sweet side, and in my opinion, much better very cold. They come in individual boxes, and I'm honestly not sure what they'd taste like combined with the wheatgrass powder or juicing. Sounds more like a smoothie-like ingredient...I totally enjoy it "alone" as an afternoon pick-me-up thirst quencher type drink, but let me know once you get it and how it tastes with the combos!! Cheers! xoxo Sherry; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jessica on March 29, 2008 at 12:48pm: On a cold and wet day in England, you gals are all making me miss sunny Trinidad and Tobago where my grandparents are from with all this coconut talk! We had a nice tall coconut tree in the backyard and I have so many fond memories of drinking ice cold, fresh coconut water direct from the source. Personally, I would not think of spoiling the wonderful taste with wheatgrass but I guess you have to do what you have to do to drink the stuff! (I drink my wheatgrass "neat" as a shot and always follow it with something better tasting!). Happy Juicing and good health to everyone!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sundari on March 30, 2008 at 9:24am: Thanks for the pointers Jessica and Sherry!
xo,
Sundari; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by trish on March 29, 2008 at 11:24am: ok, here's my technique...pretty similar to what others have posted. I have had great luck working the young thai coconuts (they are white because the green is husked off and usually have a conical/pointy end) with a pretty inexpensive cleaver i got at target. i just turn the little nut on its side, put one arm behind my back and give it a few good whacks with the cleaver right at the conical end of the coconut at the base of the point (if you can imagine that). after i get a 3-4 inch slit i pour the water out, then i hack some more until i can get the end of the cleaver into the coconut and can pretty much slice the top off, making like a lid. it sounds complicated but i can do it now in about 5 minutes. at first super messy, water squirting everywhere until i got good and confident at whacking - totally therapeutic anger release benefits.

i take the coconut meat out using a spoon with its bottom up. this separates the yummy white meat from the brown sort of slimy stuff in the nut, don't know what it's called. if the meat is white, its perfect and delicious to eat. i've read conflicting things about pink - some say don't do it - its starting to go and others say its ok. i've eaten it without detriment, plus i like pink. if its dark grey...i don't eat it...it's gone off. the water will probably be dark, too. so don't drink that either.

there are so many yummy things to do with the coconut...i often just immediately drink the water, sometimes i blend the water and meat for a thicker drink. I add it to smoothies and blend it with avocados, celery, cukes and a little raw honey. i also make this awesome chocolate mousse dessert with the meat and water blend and avocado as the base - totally scrumptious. I've been wanting to try doing the coconut noodles, but haven't YET. i've got one ready for hacking now.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kris Carr on March 29, 2008 at 5:54pm: Geek-oid-fact:

Coconut water is similar to our blood plasma, in fact they used it for transfusions is wwII when they didn't have blood. Anti bacterial, anit fungal, electrolites and also similar to mother's milk! Off to hack my coconut. I do the meat cleaver method. Best not to use your other hand to steady it! Just karate chop the thing.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sherry on March 30, 2008 at 9:10am: Right there with you geek-sista - told my kids about this one bc my daughter was learning about WWII - they were in awe and think its soooo cool! Now she's hooked - sometimes it takes a dorky fact or two to turn the health-tide! xoxo; ▶ Reply to This