Ingredients
The coconut
- 1young green drinking coconut per person
Equipment
- a heavy knife or a machete
- a stable chopping surface
- a spoon, for the jelly
Optional
- a squeeze of lime
- a pinch of salt
- ice
Directions
- Pick it up and judge the weight. Shake it gently beside your ear. You should hear very little sloshing.
- Brown patches and soft spots mean it is going over. A safety warning about opening it comes next.
- Use a heavy knife and a stable surface. Keep your other hand well clear of the blade. Never hold the coconut in your hand while you cut.
- Stand the coconut on a stable board. Trim the pointed end flat so it sits steady. Work around the top, taking a slice at a time.
- Keep going until you see the pale inner shell. That inner shell is thin and easy to pierce.
- Trim the top as before to expose the inner shell. Turn the nut and strike again in the same line.
- Work around until the top lifts off as a cap. Drinking it is done straight away.
Technique
- Coconut water from a young nut is naturally sterile inside the intact shell, which is part of why it is drunk so widely in the tropics.
- Once the shell is opened it should be treated like any other fresh drink.
Substitutions
- Young coconuts trimmed into white cones are sold in many supermarkets and are far easier to open.
- Cartons of coconut water are a distant substitute and taste flatter.
Variations
- Some households chill the whole nut before opening it.
- The jelly is scooped out and eaten with a little sugar in some places.
- Mature coconut is used for milk and cream rather than drunk.
History
Sold along Honiara’s roadsides by the basketful, the soft jelly eaten with a shard of the husk afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kulau?
Kulau is a drink from Papua New Guinea: refreshing water of a young green coconut, drunk from the shell. Sold along Honiara’s roadsides by the basketful, the soft jelly eaten with a shard of the husk afterwards.
How long does Kulau take to make?
Kulau takes 5 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 1 coconut per person. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Kulau?
Yes, within limits. Young coconuts trimmed into white cones are sold in many supermarkets and are far easier to open. Cartons of coconut water are a distant substitute and taste flatter.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kulau?
Use a heavy knife and a stable surface. Keep your other hand well clear of the blade. Never hold the coconut in your hand while you cut.
