Stories From Kiribati

Coconut is among the fruits that stores its tasty meat and juice inside a hard shell.

So if you want to get the meat, juice or cream, you must first get the coconut. You can get one from the tree or buy it from places that sell them. If the one you get is straight from the tree, then you need to remove the husk first. If you don’t know how to remove the husk, don’t worry as we have an article on how to husk a coconut that might guide you. On the other hand, if your coconut is from the stores, then it is likely that it has been husked and is now ready for cracking!

Things needed:

1. heavy knife (stone, cleaver, machete, hammer, hard edge items)

2. coconut (already husked)

Steps:

1. Hold the coconut firmly in your left hand (or right if you’re left handed)

2. The eyes of the coconut should face one of your sides.

3. The stomach of the coconut should rest inside your palm and the back of the coconut is on top.

4. Look for the line that runs between the eyes and down to the tip of the coconut – can you see it?

5. With the knife (or one of items listed above) in your other hand, now hit across and at the middle of that line. Use the blunt edge of the knife and not its blade. Start with a light hit and heavier as you go on.

6. Repeat step 5 but don’t forget to turn the coconut as you go - until the coconut splits open into nearly equal halves.

Now that’s it. Collect the juice that drains out from the cracks if you wish to use it. Enjoy the refreshing white meat of the coconut.

Note: The method discussed above can be used to crack both young and mature coconuts. Just make sure to apply less hitting force when cracking a young coconut while heavier force is required to mature one as the shell is thick and hard.