anatomy of a coconut

Dissecting a coconut is easier than you think.

First, whack three deep notches into the cone of the hard coconut. If you don't happen to have a machete on hand, use a sharp santoku or chef's knife. [Be sure to sharpen it when you're done.] Pry off the top, being careful not to spill any of the coconut water. Your coconut should now resemble an expensive Japanese porcelain vase.


Pour the coconut water into a glass. You can enjoy it as is--it's high in anti-inflammatory nutrients like vitamin C, folate and selenium--or save it to use in a recipe. Omniman and I drank this refreshing water immediately.


Using a spoon, scoop out the soft coconut pulp (appropriately named "spoon meat"). Sniff before you taste. If it smells rancid, toss it. The meat should smell and taste subtly sweet.


You should amass about a cup of spoon meat. Enjoy it as is, shred it in the food processor, or use it to make coconut milk [For recipes, see Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian].


I mixed my spoon meat with agave nectar and mango to create this raw pudding. I tossed my coconut husk, but if you're the crafty type, they make great birdhouses.