Sprouted Coconut

This strange looking object is a sprouted coconut. In Kerala we call it "poung". You can cut it like a cake. It is sweet, slightly juicy and has a spongy texture. When coconuts are harvested, they are  piled up in big heaps.

The ones at the bottom get half pressed into the soil with weight of the ones on top. They usually stay that way for a couple of days till they are sold. The  coconuts closest to the ground tend to sprout. A few showers of rain too help the process. Its a yummy serendipitous snack. My father finds them and loves to cut it up for the family to snack on. It should be an interesting addition to a salad. If you want to sprout a coconut yourself, try soaking it in fresh water and then half burying it in the ground.