Coconut palms grow in abundance in the tropics but Wikipedia says “the origins of this plant are the subject of controversy, with most authorities claiming it is native to South Asia (particularly the Ganges Delta)…” What is it exactly? “The Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family). It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4-6 m long, pinnae 60-90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth. The term coconut refers to the nut of the coconut palm.”
How young or mature a coconut is determines how it is best eaten and its uses in cooking.
The very young coconut above with its thin, translucent meat — so thin and translucent that the husk shows through — is best scooped from the husk and eaten directly or stirred with the coconut water for a refreshing drink.
The meat of the coconut above is thicker but still tender. This is the texture that is best for making desserts like buko pandan.
The meat of the mature coconut above can be grated and served as an accompaniment to rice cakes or squeezed to extract coconut cream and milk.
(Photos from Stock.Xchng)
never again will i buy fresh coconut…i bought
a box consisting of 9 coconuts imported from
thailand…opening it was a monumental task and
we got only about a cup of meat…
i miss the coconut vendors back home…watching
them cut and prepare it for you was a delight…
LOL Only in Asia will you find coconut vendors who make the task of cracking coconuts look like child’s play. Did you know that there are boat-riding coconut vendors who hack coconuts with bolos while the waves toss the boat this way and that?
P.S. Glad you found your way to my new blog.
Coming from the Philippines, I realized how spoiled we are when it comes to coconuts. I crave coconuts from PI. The ones we get here are not as good, I don’t even bother buying them anymore. Where I am, we get frozen coconut meat, canned coconut milk, overpriced yucky tasting coconut water. It’s a real treat when going back home to fill up on fresh coconut water.
Even in Asian stores?