Kalpavruksha - The Coconut

Hi all viewers. What's around us wishes you very happy Eid (Ramzaan festival).. Eid Mubarak...

 India is a country where all religions are accepted. We celebrate all festivals irrespective of the region, caste etc. As I was cherishing the Eid feast today afternoon I realised that though we are of different castes our ingredients of cooking is the same. Style of cooking, taste and other minor changes are only noticed. While I was enjoying the Eid sweet sevai, (sweet made of vermicelli, evaporated milk, sugar, coconut and dry fruits) the grated coconut was giving me a great crunch on every time I chewed it. It tastes like heaven especially with grated coconut. 

My mom used to fine chop coconuts and dry roast it before adding them to my favourite payasams (South Indian sweet made of lentils, jaggery, coconut milk and some nuts). I too use coconuts for making sweet dishes. Not just for sweets coconuts go well with all of the Indian food. We south Prefer to use Sambhar made of coconuts, this gives nutty and thick consistency for our curries. There is a saying in Kannada "hing tengu idhre, manganu addige maduthe" (English translation: if there is assafoetida and coconut even monkey can cook better). So we are dependent on coconuts for almost all our delicacies. 

Cocus nucifera

(Coconut plant)

Photography by Rakshith Raj

It's not just used as a food ingredients, but also as fodder, fuel, fibre, folk medicines, furniture etc.We call our coconut tree as kalpavruksha which means a tree where each and every part is used in one way or the other. None of the coconut tree part goes waste. It provides all the necessities of life. Hence we name it as kalpavruksha. In today's article I will be sharing the ways in which coconuts are used in our country. 

Coconut (Cocus nucifera) is a monocot plant belonging to the family Arecaceae (palm family). It is native to Asia and South America. It is used in different ways in different regions. Some of them are mentioned below. 

1. Coconut as food: The kernel (mature endosperm) of coconut is used for making different Indian food recipes. It is used in curries, sweets, snacks etc. 

Coconut kernel

The liquid endosperm (tender coconut water) is used as a healthy drink. It is useful to our body in various ways. 

Coconut soft kernel

Soft kernel is used to make sweets, Neer dosa (pancake made out of rice and coconut). 

Fermented coconut water is sometimes used in making food recipes. It's called toddy or neera in common terms. In Kerala the toddy is used in making appams (steam cakes). Toddy is even consumed as a beverage. It is even popular as coconut wine. 

2. Coconut oil: The Coconut oil cold pressed from the Kernels are used for making food. Coconut oil when applied on hairs makes it grow faster and lustrous. 

Coconut oil is used in homemade facemasks. Gives shine to the dull skin, exfoliates dead skin. 

3. Coconut used as fibre: Fibre extracted from the coconut fruits is used in making ropes, mats, mattresses and so on. 

Coconut choir

Photography by Rakshith Raj

Coconut fibre is used as a scrub to wash vessels. Coconut fibre scrub is also used as a body scrubber as it is natural and doesn't remove moisture from the skin. 

4. Coconut fodder: The remaining fibre from oil industry can be used to feed cattle. 

5. Coconut in cultural beliefs: Coconut tree is worshipped in Hindu culture. 

The fruit is kept in copper vessel decorated with Mango leaves (Kalasha) is worshipped as a good. 

The coconut leaves are knitted into small thatches, it is placed in front of house as a symbol of occasion like wedding, housewarming, baby shower, christening etc. 

During the palm Sunday the coconut leaves are stiched like a cross and hung up the house walls. This is done every palm Sundays. The old crosses are burn on the Ash Wednesdays. 

Cross made of palm leaves

In Muslim culture, the coconut is tied to the saree of bride as to protect the bride from the evil sights. 

6. Coconut as firewood: The dried fruit shells, bract, calyx, inflorescence etc are used as firewood. 

Coconut shells of fruit

7. The Dried straws collected from the leaves are bundled up to form a broom stick. This is an eco-friendly broom used to clean up garden, veranda, and house yards. 

8. Ecological benefits of coconut: Coconut is home for several insect fauna, like weevils, moths, and others. The bats like Pisitrellus rests in coconut trees. Maintains the ecological stability by involving in food chains. 

9. Coconut in cosmetic industries: Coconut oil is used as a base for making hair oils, lipsticks, creams, soaps and other products. Medicines are prepared using coconut oil. We keralites apply coconut oil for any skin infections.

10. Miscellaneous items from coconuts: Coconut chocolates (coconut oil is used to make chocolates instead of coca butter). 

Coconut milk is used in making curries and sweets. 

Coconut sugar or palm sugar is used as an alternative for cane sugar.

Coconut sugar

Coconut cream is the thick fat extracted from coconut milk. 

Coconut artifacts: There are many decorative items carved out from coconut shells or choirs. 

These were some of the benefits of coconut tree as whole. Lot more benefits are there. If you know any other importance of coconut then don't forget to post it in comment box. I have heard a saying about coconut tree, that 'the coconut fruit never falls on anybody's head'. I don't have any proofs to suggest this, but found fascinated after hearing. So that's it for the day. See you soon with another interesting article. Till then keep reading what's around us. Bye.