Thanks to a Philippines-Mexico connection, coconut shows up in sweet and savory recipes: ceviche with poached shrimp, coconut limonada and coconut raspado with jammy plums.

Vendors outside Semmozhi Poonga, Radial Road, and Anna Nagar were all selling tender coconuts ranging from 70 to 80 per coconut, which is about 20 more than the usual rates at this time of the year.