How to break n scrape coconut....??

Welcome to this forum,Thooral Mazhai.(WOW! what a name)

That was a very nice description,I've never heard that before...Thanks for the same.

Generally,in Chennai,When I break a coconut,I hit the hard line between the eyes against a hard surface(in my MIL's place,there is a clothes washing stone in the bathroom for this purpose).But I have noticed that only sometimes it breaks easily.Maybe,I was hitting the wrong hard line!!Atleast now I know this!!!

Thankyou.

Cheers

 

wet the coconut to get a perfect round....

i have heard if u wet the coconut before breaking it come out fine and the rest ofcourse we have many telling here how to go abt.....it is a art on its own...once u perfect hammer stone anything would do.....regards..sunkan

 

Interesting

I always wonder about the lives of Indian ladies abroad, how they manage the daily chores etc. This coconut breaking post is very interesting, what we do here effortlessly is a problem there. In Women's Era, somebody asked about how to open the coconut. The answer was- first keep the coconut in an oven and heat for sometime. Then open one of the eyes and empty the water then break it to pieces and blend in mixie. This is for someone who resides in North India. Is it not possible to take a small iron sickle to US for this purpose?
Also, while breaking, slightly turn the coconut so that it will break evenly. Always wet before breaking. This prevents the shell waste from falling while scrapping. Coconut scrapper with the wet grinder will be useful. You also get table top mountable, manual operatable scrappers here. Try when you visit.
With warm wishes,
varloo

 

India abroad!

Yes, there are very many small chores that become almost a challange for us women abroad! But going by the number of 'us' abroad, nothing is big enough to deter us, I would say Even I have been following this interesting thread about breaking a coconut with a smile.
I used to conduct cookery classes in Germany which was attended exclusively by the locals. Breaking coconut was one of the things I demostrated as it generated so much fascination and thrill to all! In showing others how to, even I discovered so many facts about our indispensable coconut!
I have learnt much about our country and its' many facets outside India than when in India.

 

Wow, Kamla !

Now, you come out with the fact that you were conducting cookery classes - now I will interact with you " with awe" !
Now, tell me, what is your special trick for breaking the coconut. Each has come out with a different way. I liked T M's best ! Please write your method.
I always admire the way the priests break it with ease in temples !
I also make a frank confession - I ask my maid to break it since I never get identical halves.
Who ever thought that " breaking coconut " will generate such lively discussion ?
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

Oh no Chitra...

..There is no need for 'awe'! Not from you anyways..!
If you read again, I did mention that my course was attended 'exclusively' by the locals!! So that gave me a relative security..ha ha.. In that part of Germany, there were no Indians atleast anywhere around the 200km circumference!!! So I passed off as the 'rani' of the indian gourmet food ;-)
As for the coconut, I used a plain old hammer, that did the trick. I wore rubber gloves and held the coconut like Thooral Mazhai (juss luv that name!) mentioned, o yes, I did wet the coconut, and went bang bang bang as I slowly turned the nut! Prior to that, I pierced the one eye with a barbecue skewer and emptied the water. To remove the white flesh, I sometime heat the coconut in microwave and that makes the process easier. I then scrape off the brown hard skin and proceed to grate or just chop in my food processor! That's it.
I ALWAYS have a full packet of ready frozen coconut scrapings in my freezer, bought at the local indian store!!! Why not?! It saves all that work. And is readily available in US

 

You are right

dear Kamla,
I think that Indian women are talented in many things. Our snacks, savouries, sweets are all made in different ways. We do many work with our hands and fingers. Kai murukku, flower stringing, kolam drawing and many other chores require fine motor movements. We do many intricate works in many different ways. Handicrafts etc. are more done here. I know that crochet, knitting etc are done the world over. Making kozhukkattai etc are time consuming and needs a good amount of training and practice. Last but not the least is the art of eating on a banana leaf,especially items like rasam, payasam etc, sitting on a floor. You abroad ladies get to experience many situations.
With warm wishes,
varloo

 

Coconut Breaking!!!

Hi Jayana:

An interesting solution for breaking a coconut- leave it in the fridge for 3 - 4 hrs or more and then break it with a hammer- Viola ur task wud be done effortlessly. Just hold the coconut tight and hit the it in the middle with a hammer - give it a try. You diont have to wash the coconut etc etc ... this is a tried and tested method.

Good luck!

Seetha

 

Hi Seetha,
Tried your method and works excellent. Thanks coconut breaking has become such an easy and interesting task.

Anjana. :thumbsup