For starters,when buying a coconut,hold it up to your ear and give it a shake.You should hear liquid sloshing around on the inside.

Many people confuse coconut milk with the liquid found inside a coconut.Coconut milk in made by grating the coconut meat and pouring boiling water over the meat and then straining the mixture.Coconut juice is what is found inside the coconut.

TO OPEN A COCONUT

1. Twist a Phillips head screwdriver into two of the indentations,the eyes at one end of the coconut,pound the screwdriver into the holes with a hammer.

2. Drain off the coconut juice,can be saved to make a sweet drink,but is not used the same as coconut milk.

3. Bake the coconut in a oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so this will help when pulling the flesh away from the shell.

4. Place the coconut in a towel and crack it open with a hammer,use a hard service when cracking open the coconut.

5. Pull the coconut apart,use a regular screwdriver to snap the white interior away from the hard outer shell.

6. Peel off any brown skin with a vegetable peeler.

7. Coconut can now be grated to use in any recipe calling for coconut or your favorite baked goods.

Caution needs to be taken when opening a coconut it is very easy for a screwdriver to slip or hammer not hitting the target.

TO MAKE COCONUT MILK

1. Grate the peeled coconut meat by hand or in a food processor and place it in a bowl.

2. Pour enough boiling water  (barely cover the grated coconut) over the coconut meat.

3. Let the coconut milk sit for about 15 minutes,then strain through a cheese cloth or fine meshed strainer,pressing down to extract as much milk as possiable.

4. This processes can be repeated up to three times using the same coconut meat.

5. Coconut milk can now be used for any recipe you need it for.