I huffed and puffed, a whack here a slap there, a short prayer and then finally after a full five minutes, managed to break a coconut.
‘what a Mangalorean and does not know how to break a coconut, you may ask?’
Yes, I do not.
My mother on her part had tried to teach her foolish daughter everything including grinding on a grinding stone (it is a different matter that those big stones are extinct nowadays). But she never allowed me to break a coconut. Reason being that she was afraid that her clumsy daughter may chop of her hand.
All these years my hubby broke the coconut for me but now after 10 years of marriage I feel ashamed to ask him. I mean by now I should have been a n expert, isn’t it?
Yes supermarkets do scrape and give coconuts now. We just have to select and hand over the coconut at the counter and they scrape and give it. But no I don’t do that, the taste of freshly scrapped coconut masala is entirely different. Also the counter guy just scrapes 3/4th of the coconut . I am sure with the remaining 1/4 they make coconut powder and sell it. (you can call me a miser but hey I am a Konkani, so how can I not love my coconut.)
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I cleaned my windows day before yesterday. Yes, we do everything ourselves. Me and my better half are so particular that even if we kept a help I am sure he/ she would run away within a day.
And so I washed the windows. Earlier I would lift the windows carry it to the bathroom and wash it but then old age is catching up with me and I am no longer able to lift it. And so I took a bucketful of water and washed the windows. (the one living below is now used to my antics and prefers to remain mum).
And then yesterday it rained………….
Rains in Bahrain are blackish. I often feel like leaning out of the window and tasting whether its rain or petrol, it is that dirty.
And my windows…. they are dirty again 😦
Searching Self 
Yikes. Black rain sounds distressing. Even in Delhi’s smoggy sky, I have not witnessed such rain. I hope I never do. 😀
Its not exactly black Debo, but its not crystal clear either but then I never liked rains 😦
Yuck, black rain, that’s horrible. And about coconut, that was funny. Actually, being a North Indian, we never really used coconuts in our daily cooking. Mom used coconut for chutney only to be served with idlis or dosas made once in a while. But, in my mil’s home (she is South Indian), coconuts are regularly used. My husband enjoys some gravies with coconut that I make else most of my cooking stays coconut free. I also ask my husband to break the coconut. I am so used to doing it that I don’t think twice before asking him. And, I have no risk of breaking my hand off :). I guess it is habit. So, go ahead and keep asking your hubby :). And, about that no wastage streak, I see much of that in my husband too, always fussing. I call him miserly ;-).
U r right but u c I am trying to be ‘independent’ 😉
Thanks for the comment Rachna
You have company here. My hubby only breaks coconut for me…when I try it never cracks…or it cracks lengthwise..so even after ages…coconut breaking is hubby’ s dept.
He he, now that I know I have company, I am guilt free 😉
ooooh thats not good.. fill it up the rain Might have PETROL free he he he he
I cant break a coconut myself so you are better then me 🙂
Yeah, I am thinking of doing that.
But then u don’t have to cook at least not coconut gravies
even i am very economical, dont like wastage..is there any special technique to break coconut?
There is no technique as such, just knack. The coconut is held in one hand and with a sickle or any strong knife in the other hand, it is given a whack. The whack has to be strong. In my husbands case, he breaks it with one or two but in mine, I take about 10-12 😛
Oh ho! What did the rains do 😦
They scrape coconuts too!?! Hmmm …
I break coconuts into all wonderful shapes too 😛
:d thanks for the comment Swaram
In our house I do the coconut breaking — neatly into two halves. My father taught me. And the L&M breaks them into a million pieces ( like a soorai thenga as they do in Tamil Nadu) which can’t be offered to god and can’t be scraped either. So he eats them 😀
Ha ha, thats a good idea.