How to Open a Young Coconut in 3 Easy Steps

I had a little giggle the other day when I was with some girlfriends who confessed they have no idea how to open a coconut, so they just don't bother (or they get their hubby's to do it for them). 

So this blog post is dedicated to them. Helping to get the ladies to open their own coconuts ;)

Firstly, you need a young drinking coconut. You can buy these everywhere now.  Big supermarkets such as coles, woollies, aldi or Asian grocers will usually always stock them. When I am buying coconuts I always look for really white ones with no cracks. The older they get the bottom becomes cracked and slightly yellowy/brown... you don't want these ones. They taste old.

Ok so lets get coconut opening... You will need a half decent knife that you are prepared to say good bye to for using for any proper chopping up again as it will get blunt. Very blunt.

1. Put your coconut on a firm bench, put your left hand behind your back (or right hand if you are left handed! Yes this may seem extreme but I'm sure you would find it preferable not chopping off any of your fingers during this process) and gently mark out four or five lines on the coconut around the top

2. With your left hand behind your back, slowly hit the knife hard into those lines. Keep going around with quite a lot of pressure over the lines. 



3. Some coconuts are more stubborn than others so once you have gone around the coconut, stabbing it (in the nicest possible way) and it still doesn't open, I find it helpful to put the bottom edge of the knife into one of the openings and wedge it under hitting it through the outer shell, then you can wedge up the knife and it lifts up quite easily.

It may seem daunting the first time you open your coconut (ahhh, first world problems) but you will be a pro in no time!

Good luck!

Bee xx