Coconuts grow in large numbers and are loved in many kinds of food. This amazing gift of nature – the coconut – is so closely connected with daily life in Sri Lanka that people use it not only for cooking but for many other purposes as well. Because the coconut tree can provide almost everything people need, it has earned the name Kapruka, which means the tree that gives everything.
The coconut is naturally covered with a thick outer husk that must be removed. Even this part is not wasted. The husks are soaked in still water for about one and a half to two months. This process helps loosen the fibres. After that, the fibres are separated from the thick outer skin.
These fibres, called coir, are used to make many useful products such as brushes, brooms, ropes, fishing nets and carpets. Coconut coir is strong and can resist sea water, which makes it very useful in coastal areas. The coir can also be coloured black or smoked with sulphur to give it a golden colour for high-quality products. The powder left after removing the fibres is called coir dust, which is used to make coir peat.
The coconut tree is truly an amazing tree because almost every part of it is useful. A full description of its uses could fill an entire book. The trunk of the tree is often used by carpenters and builders. The leaves are used to make thatched roofs. The middle rib of the leaf, called ekel, is used to make brooms and even kites.
The flower of the coconut tree is tapped to collect its sap. This sap can be used to make vinegar, jaggery, toddy and spirits. Because the coconut tree provides so many useful things, people call it Kapruka – the tree that gives everything.
In addition, the coconut shell is used to create many beautiful ornaments and decorative items.
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After the coconut flesh is removed, the hard shell also has many uses. It can produce a lot of heat when burned, so people often use it as fuel in the kitchen. In the past, coconut shells were also used to heat traditional irons used in laundries.
Today, coconut shells are also used to make charcoal.
On the creative side, coconut shells are turned into many decorative items and handicrafts. The best shells for this work are the ones that have the three eyes, because they are thicker and stronger. Craftsmen use simple tools like grinders, cutters and drills to shape the shell and turn it into beautiful items based on their
Coconut is a very important ingredient in many Sri Lankan cuisine dishes. The white flesh of the coconut is grated and used in many recipes.
Coconut milk is made by squeezing grated coconut with water. This milk is used as the base for many Sri Lankan curries, which are an important part of the spicy local diet.
If you mix grated coconut with chilli powder, salt, chopped onion, a little tomato or lime juice, and some Maldives fish, you get a famous Sri Lankan side dish called Pol Sambol.
Coconut oil, which comes from the coconut flesh, is the main oil used for cooking in Sri Lanka. To make it, the coconut flesh is cut into small pieces and dried until there is almost no moisture left. Then a simple press is used to extract the oil.
The leftover material from this process is not wasted. It is used to make poonac, which is coconut cake used as animal feed.
Freshly pressed coconut oil may look cloudy at first, so it is filtered or left to settle until it becomes clear and bright. Besides cooking, coconut oil is also used in cosmetics, medicine and many industrial products.
Another method of producing coconut oil is by drying the coconut flesh first. This produces white coconut oil, which is a valuable export product. In many rural areas of Sri Lanka, producing coconut oil is still a common household industry.
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