Coconut

The coconut is the fruit of the Cocotier ( Cocos will nucifera ), one of the representatives of the family of the palm trees or Arécacée S.

Complete fruit made up to 30 centimetres in diameter. It comprises a smooth outside of color clear green when the fruit is not ripe, drawing on the brown one with maturity. In lower part there is a thick layer, brown and resistant, of woody Fiber S characteristic equipping the fruit such as it is presented in store. The usual size of this part is from 5 to 15 centimetres. The internal layer of the fruit, blanchâtre, is edible. The coconut is rich in Oligo-élément S and has a good food value.

It probably finds its origin in the area indo-faintness (Indo-Malaya). The explorer Marco Polo described them through his accounts of voyages. It is now acclimatized in the majority of the tropical countries .

Characteristics

It pushes well in the plains located close to the sea, in an moist environment: zones of increase of subterranean water or rainwater stagnation. It also needs a tropical climate.

The layer external of Fiber S woody wraps a white bark intended to protect the Amande (flesh) from coconut (endosperme) and the liquid which it contains, called water of coconut when it is not yet ripe. What is called coconut milk is in fact the crushed pulp of the edible part.

The germination of coconut lasts between 4 and 10 months. Then the coconuts are planted in fields, separated by 8 to 10 meters. It is necessary to await 5 to 6 years before the coconut does not give fruits, about fifteen years before it reaches its maximum production. An adult coconut can carry between 50 and 500 coconuts at the same time. Starting from the 50 years age, its production drops appreciably.

The coconuts as for them are Palmier S with the trunk hurled, inclined and ringed (to protect them from the Rat S). It can reach a 25 m height, and their inflated base ends in a crown of immense sheets in the shape of feathers: the palms . The plantations of coconuts are in general small.

Harvest can intervene on the green fruits, directly in the tree, or by collecting of fallen ripe nuts with ground. It is necessary approximately a year before the coconut is ripe.

Worldwide production

Uses Food surfaces

The coconut is rich in Potassium, Fer, Magnésium, Phosphore, Cuivre and Zinc. That gives him a good food value. There is no portion recommended per day.

The coconut can be consumed green or ripe.

Green, one drinks the water which it contains like a soft drink: after storage in a cooled vat, the nut is opened by the top of three blows of Machette cutting out a lid in triangle, a straw makes it possible to aspire its water. At the time of the purchase, it should be made sure that the coconut is quite heavy, that it is not split, that it is full of its water by agitating it close to the ear. The presence of this liquid pale and slightly sweetened is a guarantee of freshness.

Blackberry, one eats of it the hard part and blanchâtre, which is an ingredient many tropical receipts of kitchen because of its characteristic perfume.

A whole coconut can be kept several weeks in a fresh place, best being the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Opened, pulp, once prepared, can be preserved a few days at the expenses, but wrapped in food film.

To open a coconut, it is necessary to start by boring the three eyes which are present in the form of three small round spots, at its base. Once the bored hull, carefully collect milk in a bowl, then using a hammer break the hull if possible by holding coconut in the palm of the other hand in order to facilitate its opening, if a surface lasts to open it is not available. For having detached pulp with the knife, it is necessary to cut it in chips with a Knife-treasurer, or to grate it.

Pulp

Once dried well, the Pulpe is preserved in a hermetic bottle safe from heat and light.

In small pieces, the coconut pulp can accompany a fondue with the Chocolat, grated it is used in sauces with the Curry to accompany the Poisson S, the lamb or the Poulet.

White or roasted, it is also frequently used in the desserts like the Congolese cookies, the tiles, the ices, the Cake S and Quatre-quarts, and for the decoration of the cakes.

Juice and coconut milk

The Jus of coconut constitutes a soft drink. It is simply of water that the plant left in reserve in nut to keep it " in vie" , as long as the nut has its reserve it can push, it is to some extent its life insurance. Milk is used in many flat Asian.

Milk is obtained by recovering the pulp of the fruit initially. It is necessary then to grate it, add cool water (Polynesia) or heat (Madagascar) and to filter it to it with a clean linen. In first extraction, one obtains a very concentrated, fatty milk and slightly sweetened. In second extraction (after water addition) milk becomes less fatty. In kitchen, (ex: break into leaf of manioc to coconut, national dish Malagasy) one uses initially the second extraction then, right before serving the dish, to keep the soft savor of coconut and to prevent that milk does not turn, the first. After pressing, one obtains Crème of coconut, in the form of Sirop of coconut or Miel of coconut according to the concentration.

The juice or Eau of coconut uses the manufacture of Vinaigre S.

The coconut out of powder

In the trade, one can find coconut out of powder or chips. That offers possibilities in Pâtisserie like the clothes industry of Congolese cookies for example.

Industrial and cosmetic uses

The Coprah is the Albumen dried of coconut. It contains 62 to oil 65% and water 6% only.

The coconut oil, obtained starting from copra, is very rich in saturated fatty-acids, which confers the property to him to be solid with the room temperature.

The coconut oil is an edible oil of very good quality, rich in Fatty-acids. It can thus be consumed directly. It enters the manufacture of vegetable fats and Margarine S.

It is used also much for the manufacture of the Savon S (of which it increases the foaming capacity), of the Détergent S, the plastic S and the Cosmétique S.

Used in minor amount on the hair, it has a revitalizing capacity and the fact of shining. In India, it is used in massages of the scalp, with an aim of thickening and of protecting the hair.

The Tourteaux of copra are a residue of the manufacture of the copra oil; they enter like components the animal feeds.

Medical uses

( to check )
In Africa, India and in the close areas it is used to cure several kinds of affections like: the foot of athlete, nails incarnated, the pubic vaginite and itchings.

The coconut milk can be used as a laxative (to be checked)

See too

Zh-min-nan: Iâ-á

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