I am yet to find a single person who does not like tender coconut. Many people from non-coconut growing areas are not aware of the proper way to cut open and drink the heavenly tasting liquid as well harvest the tasteful tender flesh inside.

This instructable will show you the correct way to cut open a tender coconut.

Step 1: Where to Cut...?

In some parts, the tender coconut is cut open from the backside where it was attached to the stalk. Here you will find three sunken holes called as eyes and lots of fiber to protect those eyes. opening from this end needs a machete and some times lot of liquid is also spilled out while opening from this end. Opening from the center also very laborious as it involves cutting through all those protective fibrous layers and puncturing the hard shell inside to drain out the liquid.

The right way to cut open a tender coconut is at the narrow end or lower tip where the fiber content is less and the hard shell can be easily exposed. You can either use a machete or just a knife or sickle to open from this end.

Step 2: Cutting the Tender Coconut

Here, I have used a bill-hooked machete to cut the coconut.

Place the tender coconut on a firm surface
Using a machete, sickle or a knife slice off a portion of the immature husk at an angle.
Make angular cuts around the tip following the initial cut and expose the hard shell

Step 3: Break the Hard Shell

Tap lightly over the hard shell slightly away from the center. Few taps in a circle will make an opening in the shell. No spillage or waste, the tender coconut is ready to drink.

Step 4: Drink...

If you want to drain out the liquid in a container, just put the opened end over the container and all the liquid will be drained out. You can also use a straw or directly drink from the tender coconut

Step 5: Cut Open

Most of the tender coconuts also have well formed soft flesh inside.

Keep the coconut on a firm surface and cut with the machete or sickle as shown in the picture. Few gentle taps of the coconut with the machete over the surface will split open and expose the soft flesh inside

Step 6: Harvest and Eat the Edible Coconut Flesh

A triangular slice of wedge from the outer shell can be used to scoop out the flesh. You can also use a real spoon for this and eat the tasteful flesh.

Step 7: The Remains

The fiber in the empty shells are immature and can not be used for coir making. In rural areas, these shells are sun-dried and used as fuel for cooking.