Thengu Mane drives you nuts over coconut

BANGALORE: Those who order fresh tender coconut water at this shop in Rajajinagar I Block are in for a cool surprise - the ice-cool tender coconut comes straight out of a specially designed machine.
Its owner Vinod M smilingly offers another helping, this time flavoured with salt-and-pepper or fresh lemon, perhaps? That's how Thengu Mane (house of coconuts) stands different.It sells products made only from the versatile coconut. Its claim to fame in the past two years has grown on Vinod's experiments with different delicacies. A range of products, the result of R&D by Vinod and his wife Anitha, take pride of place on the shelves. Eight unique products are available here.
A native of Chikkanayakanahalli in Tiptur, the coconut capital of Karnataka, with 15 acres of coconut plantation, it was but natural for Vinod to think out of the shell. "I want to promote coconut as a trendy product. I'm glad people are realizing the benefits of going natural, and away from junk," he said, adding that 40% of his customers prefer coconut water in raw form, while others sip flavoured ones priced as much as at roadside stalls.
The other popular products are sweet lassi and soufflé, jelly, barfi, holige and finger chips. Ice-creams made of coconut milk come in basic, cardamom and vanilla flavours.
Mithun SG, who works for an NGO and is a regular at Thengu Mane, finds coconut milk ice-cream and soufflé an alternative to other ice-creams "which are not natural". He is also particular about other products, like virgin coconut oil and barfi.
Vinod will soon offer cookies and pani puri. "I'll serve coconut oil-fried puris with coconut water laced with the regular masala," he says. By this month-end, customers will also get to savour neer dosa with coconut chutney and coconut milk rice (which tastes like pongal) in the mornings.
"I want to add a lot more value to coconut, which hasn't been attempted even in Sri Lanka, Philippines and Thailand, traditional coconut-growing nations. For this, I prefer organically-grown nuts from my suppliers," he said, adding that he prices his coconut by-products moderately. A 200g pack of freshly grated coconut costs Rs 15 and is popular among those who balance kitchen and office. The other hot pick is fresh coconut milk -- with no additives, it has a week's shelf-life -- which is sold at 30% less than its equivalents in the market. "I can afford to price it low as the Tiptur coconuts have a thick kernel," he claims.
In the next month, Vinod is to set up franchises in Vijayanagar, Hanumanthanagar and Malleswaram.
Apart from desiccated copra powder, milk powder etc., the shop also deals with artifacts made of coconut shells and furniture made of coconut husk. What next? Vinod, who works on a table made of husk at his Rajajinagar shop, said: "Next time, you'll be offered tea made with coconut milk."