Grating coconut is one of the most tedious of tasks for many housewives. Especially since it can be an everyday chore. Unfortunately, the Malayali kitchen can hardly do without a handful of grated coconut every day, for almost every recipe.
So, what is the easiest way to grate coconuts? Here are two methods by which you can scrape off the coconut meat in a jiffy. And, the happy news is that, you don’t even need a coconut scrapper to follow these methods! These two methods are introduced by the YouTube channel, CURRY with AMMA. Freezing the coconut thus grated through these easy means in small containers can be really helpful to the working women.
By freezing the coconut
Take a husked coconut. Completely remove all the remaining bits of the husk and make it as smooth as possible. Then, freeze the coconut in a cover, for 12 hours. Take the coconut out half an hour before the needed time. Or, in case of short notice, just pop the frozen coconut in water for ten minutes. Now you can crack open this frozen coconut quite easily using a knife or the heavier machete (vettukathi). You just have to tap it along the hard line along the shell with the dull side of the knife and it will easily break open. Since it has been frozen, the coconut water will also be in a frozen state. It can be saved for later use, especially for making appams. Now, just use a knife to separate the coconut meat from the shell, which will come loose easily. If the brown skin is stuck to the white meat, scrap it off with a normal peeler or knife. Now, dry it completely with a clean cloth to remove any water content. The coconut meat now could be cut into small pieces with a knife and ground to small shreds in the smallest jar of a mixer. You will get fine scrapings just like those grated with a coconut scrapper.
The second method
Crack a coconut into two pieces. Then, hold one half with cooking tongs (pakad) over open flame in a stove. Take care to heat all sides of the shell equally. Once it gets well-heated, the flesh will get separated from the shell quickly. Use a knife to separate the flesh from the shell, and cut it to small pieces which can in turn, be ground using a mixer. This method will come in handy in case you forget to put the coconut in the freezer or if you need the coconut quickly. Since the brown skin on the flesh may remain, the scrapings may not be as white as in the former method.
