Coconut

To Prepare a fresh Coconut: With a metal skewer or screwdriver, pierce two of the eyes. Drain the milky liquid. If desired, strain the liquid and use it for cooking or drinking. With a hammer or the back of a cleaver, sharply tap the coconut about one-third of the way from the opposite end of the eyes. Continue tapping it in a circle around the coconut until it breaks open. Use a knife to divide the coconut into portions that can be lifted easily from the shells and lift out each section. Cut off the brown skin and grate the white flesh into fine flakes. If using a special coconut grater (see Coconut Graters), there is no need to remove the shell. Simply insert the head of the grater into the hollow coconut half and turn the crank.