Karachi is going coconuts.

KARACHI -- 'We belong to a coastal city where palm trees grow very well but we have not been able to capitalise on coconuts like Sri Lanka, India or any other city by the sea. Out there you find coconut stalls just about everywhere, especially on the beaches.'

This was something a nutritionist told this reporter during an interview about local-grown fruits a few years back.

At the time, one had to go look for coconuts to enjoy fresh cool rehydrating coconut water. The only regular encounter with the fruit would be through those vendors trying to sell you khopra slices at traffic signals. Or you could buy dried coconut from the dried fruit shops.

Thankfully times are changing now. Suddenly, you keep running into so many stalls and carts selling you tender coconuts. They are all over town. The cost of these coconuts depends on their size. A big fat one will be sold for Rs300, a slightly smaller one will cost you Rs250. And the smallest one available will be Rs200.

Depending on their size, the tropical fruit is being sold between Rs200 and Rs300

Some of the bigger shops selling the same will also have chilled coconuts. And thankfully they don't charge extra for refrigerating them. The coconut, which also contains cream, can be enjoyed for the nothing extra, too, as the same axe that was used to chop off the top to put in the drinking straws will be used to crack it open for the cream.

Most vendors can tell if a coconut is ripe or tender with water and soft cream or if it is semi-ripe where you can chew on the dry khopra inside or if it is completely dry, which people usually break open by hitting on the floor at festivals or religious celebrations.

'It is very simple. You just shake it to know,' says one coconut vendor. 'So which one...