But first a few coconut fun facts.......
Young Thai Coconuts have a host of health benefits. Not to be confused with brown mature coconuts, to the right you will see a young thai coconut. Inside this vessel you will find a delicious, slightly sweet water and a gel like flesh. Coconut water is a superfood filled with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, and growth factors. It is low in fat and has only a fifth of the sugar found in most fresh fruit juices.
To make your own coconut milk simply blend the water and flesh together and enjoy.
For a real treat and a great topping for fruit you can make a decadent coconut cream. Below is the basic recipe. You can jazz it up by adding different extracts, sweeteners, and spices.
COCONUT CREAM
Blend together the flesh and 1/2 the water from a young, thai coconut. Add a squirt of agave or honey. Add a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract. Sprinkle in any other yummy delights such as cinnamon or cloves.
Slice fresh fruit and layer in a parfait glass with cream. Add a sprinkling of sunflower or hemp seeds. Enjoy!
HOW DO I CRACK INTO A COCONUT??
Tips for opening a coconut: There are a ton of videos on You Tube that demonstrate how to opening a thai coconut if you'd like a visual demonstration. Here is how I normally handle the task.
1. With my dedicated coconut-only butcher knife, I put the coconut on its side and carefully whack off the tip.
2. After the tip is off, I push through the soft top and empty the water into a bowl.
3. Put the coconut back on it's side and give strong chops around the diameter and pull open.
4. Scrap our the flesh with a spoon.
