Another week, another new produce find: the sprouted coconut! I had never heard of them before and am not big on regular coconuts, so I thought they would be exciting to try!
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What is a Sprouted Coconut?
A sprouted coconut is essentially an over-mature coconut that is now sprouting. It is also referred to as a germinated coconut. Instead of the coconut containing coconut water on the inside like you are used to seeing with a traditional coconut, “the seed inside the shell has consumed the water causing the interior to become a solid, spongy mass” (as the Specialty Produce app explains). So, when you open the sprouted coconut, you are greeted by a large, edible light yellow mass that is commonly referred to as the coconut “apple”. It is very interesting looking!
How to Cut a Sprouted Coconut?
Let’s just say that I could’ve easily made a tutorial on how not to cut a sprouted coconut! Before starting, I did research on how to cut the sprouted coconut, so I thought I was prepared! I had my sharp knife and was going to go in a circle around the middle of the sprouted coconut until it cracked open. This was great in theory! I did that, for far too long to admit, until I finally called in some help from my friends at Specialty Produce! They used a different type of knife, so I decided to swap my knives for a less sharp knife, but it was bigger and different-shaped (a Calphalon 7″ Santoku knife – you can find it in this (affiliate link) knife set). And, after about one minute, the sprouted coconut cracked open. I do not know if it happened that quickly from all of my prior work or if that is just the result of using the right knife, but I will for sure start off with the right knife next time!
What Does a Sprouted Coconut Taste Like?
It is all very interesting!
- Texture: When touching the interior portion of the fruit, I do agree that it does feels sponge-like, but it also really reminds me of the texture of styrofoam. It also has a similar feel once I put it in my mouth. There is no melting of the flesh or anything, you just kind of chew it down.
- Taste: There really isn’t much taste to the coconut “apple,” which is the white/yellow mass. I have read where people say it tastes salty, and I am normally pretty sensitive to the salty taste, but I didn’t experience that sensation. However, the coconut “meat” had a lot more flavor and was preferred.
Of course, I had to call in the real experts and get my babies to try it too (included in the video below)! I think watching my kids eat it is a very accurate portrayal. Anabelle was really excited about trying it because I had her sit and attempt to cut it open with me for ten minutes, but she didn’t like it once she tried it. She was, however, still fascinated by it and wanted to spoon me out some more to eat while I was taking pictures afterwards! Noah, on the other hand, really liked the coconut “meat” portion and ate everything I gave him. However, he definitely noticed when I randomly switched it up and added a bit of the coconut “apple.” He swirled it in his mouth a few times and then spit it out! I do not think that is to say that they will not like it forever, but I think it has a lot to do with the new, different texture, which is very common for babies and toddlers. I think that if the kids were exposed to that same texture multiple more times, that they would have a different reaction.
For a full breakdown of all of our opinions, you can watch the video below!
Would I Recommend the Sprouted Coconut?
To be honest, I always think it’s a good idea to try new produce items, especially if you are getting bored and/or they’re intriguing! In this case, I had such a fun time cutting this open with Anabelle that I would do it 50 times over! Would I want to eat a sprouted coconut that many times? Probably not, but I also think that there’s a lot of room for experimentation here and I’m glad I tried it because now it has me more curious to learn more about traditional coconuts, including the cutting process!
I would like to send a big thank you to Specialty Produce for sending us some delicious treats to try and for keeping me inspired!
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Where can I buy sprouted coconut flesh from? I would like to buy a few kilos
I was in Hawaii and a coconut vendor was very offended when I asked if she had any or knew where I can get one. She then told me I would be killing a tree and if I wanted one I could pay over $200 for one. Later that week I randomly came across a man selling them for $8. Is it harsh to eat these? How bad is it in terms of harming the environment?
Adri. Coconuts are very easy to germinate and. Tree can produce over 60. Year easy. Go ahead and eat to your hearts desire.
Just would like to know if I eat the inside sponge, will I still be able to plant the sprouted coconut and grow it? Thanks