How to make Home Made Coconuts Cream and Sweet Shredded Coconuts

 I was very lucky to find the Old Coconuts and Fresh Coconuts.   For the longest time, Old Coconuts became a rare find at some of the grocery stores.  They only carry the fresh young coconuts.
If you didn't know, the old coconuts is usually brown - its husks have been shaved off.    When coconut's husks are exposed to the air, they will eventually turn brown.  Depending on the age of the coconuts and size, there maybe a little coconut 'milk' << clear liquid in it to drink.  The white tender jelly like flesh also would turn firm and difficult to ply off from its shell.
Here is the picture of the Old coconut and young coconut.  The young coconut is usually sold with thick white husk still attached.   If you get to eat really fresh coconuts sold by the street vendor in Asia or in tropic, you will notice that there is hardly any 'hard' shell forming in the coconut.  The vendor can use the machete to slice off the top after shaving off the husks and pour the 'milk' / juice right into a cup.  With a large spoon, the soft jell like coconut fresh is scooped right out and served with the drink.   Yum.... that brings back a good memory. 

To open the coconut, locate its eyes.  Poke it.   Turn it over a cup or bowl with a filter to catch debris.

 

 I like to use my micro coffee filter to re-filter the milk.

Drink some and save about a 1/2 C for making Coconut Cream.
To hammer open the coconut, place it in a plastic bag.  Use a heavy hammer and crack it open.

 Ply the coconut flesh away from the shell.  Clean the peel off if you want to use it for cooking.    To shred it to make your sweet shredded coconut.  See the tool I used below.

 I was able to find this Coconut shredder make in Thailand at one of the Asian market in San Jose.   I was hoping to find the ones with a hole in the center and attached to a bar or made from a one piece metal with the shredder head at its one end.   But this worked out fine,

 You have to place one foot on the stool while sitting on a low stool.  With a bowl underneath, you start scraping the coconut across the shredder. 

 Try not to shred too close to the shell; otherwise, the shell will be shredded and become part of the wonderfully shredded coconut flesh.

Spread the shredded coconuts over the parchment paper on a baking sheet.   Sprinkle some sugar.  Mix with fork in a raking motion .Taste it.  Adjust the sweetness.   Dry in oven set to the lowest available temperature.   Rake it often until dry enough to store away in an air tight container.
I will post how to make the coconut cream later.