Coconut Breaking and Handling - Andhra Telugu Recipes - Indian Vegetarian Food
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Read below the Text, Tips & Discussions before attempting the Recipe
Recipe Text
Requisites :
Coconut
Scrapper
Grater
Coconut Breaking:
To break a coconut first remove the fiber attached to the coconut. As suggested by elders, leaving a small portion remove all the fiber (Elders say that one should not break coconut without fiber on it. To remove fiber it would be easy to use a pointed tool like screw driver. Take a pointed tool & pierce it into the fiber and separate it from the shell. Pull the separated fiber from the shell with fingers. Like this leaving a small portion remove all the fiber. After removing most of the fiber observe the coconut—it has three eyes and three lines (or Veins) passing between the eyes. Of the three eyes of coconut two eyes are close to each other--observe a line passing between these two eyes. For convenience name this line as “A”. Place your middle finger on this line (A) and observe that your thumb rests on the second line (Vein) & the ring finger rests on the third line (Vein). Holding coconut in this position very firmly, when one hits it on the ground it will break in one shot. Before breaking the coconut keep a glass nearby to collect the coconut water. Now holding the coconut as mentioned, hit it on the ground and observe that it will break in one shot. Collect the coconut water into a glass and separate the two pieces. After breaking the coconut remove the remaining fiber on the shell. Breaking coconut in this manner ensures that one will not be hurt and coconut breaks surely and evenly and also in one shot. The scientific reason in holding the coconut in the mentioned manner is as follows:
The part which is touching the ground while hitting will not have any line (Vein). So the coconut breaks evenly and easily. To clearly understand this, hold the coconut in the mentioned manner and turn it to observe that, that portion does not have any line (Vein). When a coconut is hit ON the line (Vein) then it would be difficult to break—and even if it breaks it would be uneven---and chances of shell piercing through your skin are more. So for easy and safe breaking always hold the coconut in the mentioned manner.
Asking us to leave a small amount of fiber may be the reason to easily hold small and big coconuts in our palm with the fiber touching the skin between the palm and the wrist which prevents us from hurting. And this fiber should help us in cleaning the graters also (as described below where I suggested to use an old tooth brush – in olden days brushes were not available and the coconut fiber itself was used to clean the graters)
Nowadays there are a few contraptions / equipments sold in the market to break a coconut also!!!!!!
Is it not easy to break a coconut in the manner shown in the video?
When a coconut is separated from the shell observe a brown color thin layer sticking to it. To get white coconut without the brown layer sticking to it, break the coconut as mentioned below:
Coconut Breaking 2:
Place the coconut in freezer for 24 hours. After 24 hours remove the coconut from freezer and separate the fiber leaving a small portion on it. Now break the coconut hitting on the ground as described above. Observe that the brown layer is sticking to the shell and we get white coconut. Hit the coconut on the ground till all the shell is removed and we get white coconut. Cut the white coconut in the center. Scoop out the frozen coconut water with a spoon---keeping this at room temperature it will turn into liquid---but observe that this coconut water would be tasteless.
Coconut Graters:
A coconut grater has a spikes ball attached to a handle and a frame. Graters unused for long time would be rusted (as they are made of iron) and need to cleared of the rust before use. To remove rust on iron things scrub and wash them with rice water (Water collected after washing rice) using an old toothbrush. For better results soak the rusted iron thing in rice water overnight---rust will easily be removed. Dip an old toothbrush in rice water and wash the grater to remove rust. After clearing the rust wash the grater under running water tap to clean it. While cleaning the grater do not try to wash it with fingers as the spikes of the grater will be too sharp. After cleaning, store the grater under a shelf where it is not easy to get hurt. While storing, take care it is out of reach of children.
Another coconut grater is a one which has a handle attached to a spiked iron rod. Using different graters give different textured grated coconut!!!
Coconut Grating:
Let us learn to grate coconut using the traditional coconut grater. Spread a plastic sheet on ground and place the grater with a plate to collect grated coconut. Place your foot on the bar of the grater to secure it from moving. Holding the coconut in the left hand, grate starting from the edges. Rotate the handle of the grater with right hand, holding the coconut in left hand. Also keep turning the coconut in left hand---turning is important for even grating. If one does not turn the coconut while grating the brown portion below the coconut also gets grated and the grated coconut appears dark in color. After grating the coconut remove the grated coconut stuck in the spikes of the grater using the handle of a spoon. Never try to remove the grated coconut stuck in the grater with fingers as the spikes of the grater would be too sharp. Observe the texture of the grated coconut—it would appear as bloomed flowers. Wash the grater under running tap—if required use an old toothbrush. At times even after thorough cleaning some traces of coconut is found sticking in the grater. Use a toothpick to remove the traces left in the grater---or use the good old technique of using coconut fiber (PEECHU) to clean the grater. After washing, store the grater under a shelf lest one gets hurt.
Now let us learn to grate coconut using the handy coconut scraper. Hold the coconut kernel in the left hand scrape starting from the edges. Turn the coconut in intervals and scrape to get flaky type grated coconut. Observe the texture of the scraped coconut which would be flaky yet soft.
Storing Grated Coconut:
When a coconut is grated using a traditional grater the texture will be soft and appears like bloomed flowers. When a coconut is scraped using coconut scraper, it will appear as flakes yet will be soft textured. When coconut is grated using a mixer grinder, the texture would be like grass and will be less tasty compared to the other two varieties. Along with the texture taste also differs!!!!
To store grated coconut fill sufficient quantity in zip lock bags and seal. Place these bags in a box. Store this box in freezer. As and when required, use the quantity required and store the remaining in the freezer. Fresh coconut is readily available throughout.
Points to notice:
Hold the coconut firmly while hitting the ground. Don’t leave any scope for the coconut to recoil and hit you in the reverse.
If you propose to store coconuts at home without breaking, ensure to shake them once atleast once during the day till you break them. This prevents them from rotting inside.
After grating you may sprinkle some sugar lightly on the grated coconut and eat it too!!! Childrenwould love it.
Hope this movie clip helps in breaking coconuts easily, grating smoothly and also storing coconut.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Our Earlier discussions on the Blog
Anonymous said...
Gayatri garu (you look so young anyway :-) ). Love the cooking videos. So much effort must have gone into putting them together photo by photo with english text where possible. I saw how to break a coconut. nice. Very interesting. Fruit salad too. I grew up in india as a school girl but have been out since then. now trying to learn indian cooking. Forget about your sbi job (saw your profile). You will go to great levels with this job and what you are doing. Keep up the great work. Just fantastic.
July 9, 2011 12:10 PM
neelu said...
Hi Gayatri,
At times it becomes difficult to find coconut in USA (either expense or i find it difficult to brake the shell) so is it ok if i use store brought frozen coconut for making coconut chutney.
January 29, 2009 9:01 PM
Gayatri Vantillu said...
Neelu garu, its difficult to use a full coconut in one day. I also freeze it and re-use it after thawing for a few hours. Else microwave it for 30 seconds (approx). If the frozen coconut is the same as the one which I am using, you can comfortably use it instead of a fresh coconut
January 31, 2009 3:16 PM
Your Earlier comments on the Blog
Anonymous said...
Dear Gayatri Garu
Your podcast on Coconut breaking methodology is remarkable. I have been breaking coconut all these years for pooja etc without knowing this. However after seeing your method, I feel that every activity which we come across our daily lives, if carefully monitored and reasoned, could teach us beautiful ways to fine tune the art of living our life.
Thankyou once again gayatri garu for posting such rare yet fundamentally useful clips.
Best wishes
Ramesh Kumar
November 13, 2010 9:06 PM
Anonymous said...
hi gayatri garu
thanks for your recipies.could you please make ariselu, particularly while making arisela pakam, please indicate thermometer degrees. if possible measurements in cups too.
thanks a lot
November 23, 2010 12:20 PM
geminiram said...
i need recipie for paneer butter masala . can u help me
November 25, 2010 8:48 PM
Sailaja said...
Gayatri garu,
Arati doota koora recipe post cheyyaraa....?
Thanks & regards,
Sailaja
November 26, 2010 1:35 PM
venkat said...
very nice , chala baga chepputunnaru,chala chala krutagnatalu,
November 27, 2010 4:05 PM
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