The meat or pulp can be pressed and used to make coconut oil or is used to make delicious dishes or just eaten directly from the shell. If the coconut is too young the hard brown shell will not be completely solid and there will be a light thin film lining the center instead of pulp. The brown shell is found inside a green fibrous husk. A machete is used to pry the hard brown coconut shell from its husk. A good coconut feels heavy and slushes inside when the fruit is shaken.
Press wholes into the three coconut eyes using nails and a hammer.
Drain the coconut into a glass. The coconut water should smell of coconut and not be rancid and should be refrigerated and used within one day. To break open the coconut after its drained gently tap with a hammer a couple of times until it cracks apart. Separate the meat from the shell and scrape off any brown shell lining. Store the chunks of pulp or grated coconut in an airtight container and refrigerate.