Coconuts...

The Humble Coconut...

Picture a tropical paradise and you'll see graceful coconut palms swaying in the breeze. Yet the ubiquitous coconut is no mere landscape beautifier. In many tropical countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Ivory Coast and the Caribbean states, the coconut is a major source of income. Its uses are so extensive, it is called the tree of life. In fact, Marco Polo has this to say of the coconut. "One of these nuts is a meal for a man, both meat and drink".

To Malaysians, the coconut tree is called pokok seribu guna or the tree of a thousand uses. Every single part of the coconut plant is useful. Crack the nut open and the coconut water that oozes out makes for a refreshing and mineral-rich drink. Its husk can be used to make cushions for furniture and car seats while the hard shell is made into utensils, handicraft and activated carbon. The fresh kernel is grated and process to provides coconut milk, while the remains desiccated coconut, all used in cooking. Copra, which is dried kernel is the source of coconut oil used in cooking and in the making of soap and perfume. Even its leaves are used to make brooms, while its trunk can be turned into a simple bridge and construction material. Sap from young coconut shoots is tapped to produce toddy, an alcoholic drink, is boiled to make palm sugar. The aromatic and creamy coconut milk has many applications such as cooking curries and making desserts, cookies and cakes, soups, beverages and ice creams.

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