Home made coconut oil

[Guest guest]

I am very sorry that I could not explain the way in which COCONUT OIL is

made. Here it is.

 

Coconut which we get from a coconut tree has a fibrous outer cover, inside

which there is a hard shell. Inside the hard shell there is the white

substance and coconut water. The mature coconut, about 30 cm (12 in) long,

is oval and has a thick, fibrous outer husk and a hard inner shell. The

lining, or kernel, of the inner shell is a white, oily " meat " that is dried

to produce the commercially valuable copra. Copra is crushed in special

mills to get commercial coconut oil .Oil made in this way is used for

cooking, but it is not good for medicinal use because it contains additives

and preservatives. The dried leaves of the coconut palm are used for thatch

and, by plaiting the leaflets, making mats, screens, and baskets. Coir, the

fibre of the nut's husk, is used to make rope and coconut matting, and as a

substitute for peat in gardener's compost. These products are exported in

large quantities from this part of the world.

 

Instead of drying the coconut meat , grate it out and squeeze firmly with

hand or press using any wooden material. You get a white milk and it is

called coconut milk. If you need, sprinkle a little water - my wife

says.(The meat may also be grated and mixed with water to make coconut milk,

used in cooking and as a substitute for cow's milk.-Encyclopaedia

Britannica).

 

This coconut milk is called first coconut milk which has maximum oil

content. Discard the rest. But you can add more water say a cup of water and

squeeze to make the second milk which you can use for cooking (The second

milk is not used for making oil).

 

Take the first milk and boil. After several minutes of boiling the whole

water content in the grated coconut meat evaporates and you get oil together

with cooked (brown) coconut meat. Keep it for some time so that it reaches

room temperature.

Pass it through some cotton cloth so that you can get pure coconut oil. You

may get about 50 milli litre to 75 ml of oil from a large size coconut. The

oil content may vary depending up on the place where it is grown. This does

not contain any preservative and so you can use it for medicinal purpose.

You can put it on your hair before taking a wash of the head. This is good

for hair growth - village people say. But if you are not familiar do not

apply it on head. Some people have allergy for coconut oil. (Never think

that all plant products are safe. Remember that Tobacco is a plant product)

 

I used to have ear itching problem while I was young. My mother made

coconut oil in the above method and then roasted spring onions in it. She

applied it on my head before bath, and I remember I never had ear problems

afterwards.

 

If you succeed in making this and if you are happy in the recipe, please

acknowledge.

P.J.Joseph