Use the back of a meat cleaver or large chefs knife and repeatedly whack the equator looking line of the coconut while turning it.
Reserve the coconut water that will be loose inside.
Use a paring knife to carefully go around the inside of the coconut to release the flesh.
Use a potato peeler to peel the brown skin off the coconut.
Use the potato peeler to flake the coconut. Spread out flat on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400° for approximately 5-10 minutes. Use a spoon to shake and rearrange the shredded coconut to ensure more even toasting. Take out a good 30 seconds before fully toasted and move the coconut around with a spoon to finish toasting with carry over cooking.
Alternatively, follow my recipe for "Coconut Milk" and use the pulp after the step where you squeeze out the water from the coconut into a fine mesh sieve and dry the grated coconut between paper towels. The picture shows toasting after making coconut milk.
Variations; Cane sugar, brown sugar, ghee
