Coconut retains its healthy and delicious fruit qualities both when fresh and when dehydrated. To fully enjoy its flavor and properties, it is important to know which coconut is best to buy and how to store it.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Buy and Store a Whole Coconut
Step 1. Choose the right store
Generally, you will be able to buy a coconut from either the supermarket or the greengrocer. If you are particularly lucky and live in a tropical area, you may have a coconut palm near your home. Either way, make sure you have a good selection of fruits to choose from.
Although the best season to eat coconut is from October to December, coconuts are harvested all year round
Step 2. Choose a full, heavy coconut
Pick up several before making your choice. The advice is to look for a perfectly intact one, which seems full and heavy. Bring the coconut close to your ear, then start shaking it; you should hear the sound of the water moving inside.
A brown colored coconut offers more pulp, while a green outer shell indicates that there is a lot of juice inside. Remember that coconut water contains the five essential electrolytes for health: potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium and phosphorus. The difference is in the degree of ripeness of the fruit, brown coconuts are older and more mature
Step 3. Examine the coconut's "eyes" for any signs of mold or moisture
Each coconut has three small holes, which appear as black spots and which are called "eyes". If they look moldy or not quite dry, don't buy that coconut.
Step 4. Empty the coconut from the water
If you intend to keep the coconut for a few days, leave it whole, but if you want to eat it right away, the first thing to do is empty it of the water. Take a hard, sharp utensil, such as a screwdriver or iron skewer, and insert it into one of the three holes. Normally, one of the three "eyes" is more yielding than the others. Try to drive the tool into the center of the coconut, then try to widen the hole slightly.
- You can also try using a corkscrew; you will have to use it as you normally do to open wine bottles.
- Flip the coconut over to let the water out inside. Remember not to throw it away: you can drink it immediately or keep it.
Step 5. Break the coconut with a hammer
Wrap it in a cloth or towel, then hit it with a mallet or hammer until it breaks. You can divide it into as many pieces as you like. When done, rinse the coconut under cold running water.
Step 6. Remove the pulp from the shell with the help of a knife
If it does not come off on its own, take a knife with a rounded tip and cut the white pulp with an inverted V-shaped cut about 2-3 cm long. This triangular incision should allow you to easily detach that single piece of pulp from the shell; repeat the process until it is completely empty.
Step 7. Store the coconut
If you want to eat the coconut later, you can put it in the refrigerator or leave it at room temperature in the kitchen. In the first case it will also keep for 2-3 weeks, while keeping it in the fruit bowl you will have to eat it within 7 days. A third possibility is given by the freezer: if you want to freeze the coconut you can keep it for up to 6-8 months. Remember that, once opened, the duration of the coconut is significantly reduced: you will have to consume it within 24 hours or you can keep it in the refrigerator for no more than a week. The frozen coconut pulp, on the other hand, has the same duration as a whole walnut: about 6-8 months. If you want to keep the pulp, store it in an airtight container. Coconut water must necessarily be in the refrigerator and be consumed as soon as possible.
If the outer shell turns gray or if the pulp takes on a yellowish hue, it means that the fruit has gone bad and can no longer be eaten. If coconut water smells sour and tastes unpleasant, throw it away immediately
Method 2 of 3: Purchase and Store the Dehydrated Coconut
Step 1. Choose one of the dehydrated coconut varieties
There are different types that can be used for different purposes. You can buy grated dehydrated coconut, in flakes, flakes or very thin sheets, to add it to your recipes in the kitchen. Depending on the preparation (sweet or savory) it is always better to check the list of ingredients to see if any sugar has been added.
- Health food stores offer a wide variety of dehydrated coconut products, particularly suitable for those who do not consume dairy products.
- When reading the ingredients list, check if any preservatives have been added and what kind they are.
Step 2. Preserve it from decay
You can store it at room temperature, in the refrigerator or freezer. In a sealed package it can last up to 4-6 months in the pantry or up to 6-8 months in the refrigerator or freezer. Either way, store it in an airtight container.
Also consider the expiration date on the package
Step 3. Make sure it hasn't deteriorated
Before eating the dried coconut, check that it is white and soft. If it has become hard or yellowish, it has gone bad and can no longer be eaten.
Method 3 of 3: Purchase and Store Other Coconut Derivatives
Step 1. You can buy coconut milk and store it in the refrigerator or freezer
Once the package is opened, it will last about 4-6 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. If you purchased canned coconut milk, transfer it to a plastic or glass container with an airtight lid before placing it in the refrigerator. Even if you intend to freeze coconut milk, it is always best to use an airtight container.
Step 2. Extract the coconut water from the nut
Filter it, transfer it to a sterilized bottle and immediately place it in the refrigerator. In this case, you will be able to store coconut water for up to 3 weeks. If you don't have a sterilized glass container available, you should drink the water as soon as possible. If you bought packaged coconut water from the supermarket, put it in the refrigerator and respect the expiration date on the package.
Step 3. Coconut flour should be stored in a cool place
Nowadays natural food stores (but also the most well-stocked supermarkets) offer a wide variety of alternative flours. Coconut flour should be stored in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator or freezer. In the first case it will last 6 months, in the second one year.
Step 4. Store the butter or coconut oil at room temperature in a glass container
You should be able to find both strains at health food stores; in both cases you can keep the product in the pantry for several months, as long as it is closed in a glass jar.
Coconut oil and coconut butter are two different things, but the storage method doesn't change
Advice
- Coconut milk is a very versatile ingredient, which allows you to prepare delicious Indian soups, sauces and curries.
- Try boiling the eggs or fish in coconut water. Alternatively, you can use it to add an acrid note to a soup or meat or poultry dish.
- Fruit shops often display an open coconut to prove the quality of their product. While not a guarantee that your coconut will definitely be good too, it is a good indication of that batch of fruit.
Warnings
- Neglecting the expiration date could cause you to get sick. If the coconut looks or tastes unpleasant, don't eat it!
- If after opening the coconut you find that it is rotten, bring it back to the store.
