Coconut milk is often used as a base in Indian and Thai recipes, and is a delicious addition to smoothies and many desserts. Bottled coconut milk is sometimes expensive, but you can make yours easily using grated or fresh coconut. Read on to learn about two methods of making coconut milk.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Make Coconut Milk Using Grated Coconut
Step 1. Buy shredded coconut
Look for the sugar-free type on the gondola next to the cooking ingredients. If you can't find grated coconut, use coconut shavings.
Step 2. Weigh the grated coconut
Each cup of coconut will give you two cups of milk. Place the coconut in a blender or powerful food processor.
Step 3. Boil water
You will need two cups of water for every cup of coconut. Put the correct number of cups of water in a pot. Leave the pan on high heat. Wait for the water to boil completely.
Step 4. Pour the water over the coconut
Pour water into blender. If your blender is small, you may need to do this little by little. Use a spoon to mix well.
Step 5. Beat the coconut and water
Place the lid in a blender and blend the coconut and water until the mixture is as homogeneous as possible. Be sure to hold the blender lid firmly with one hand, as hitting hot substances can cause the lid to fly off unexpectedly.
Step 6. Strain the solid parts of the coconut
Place a cheesecloth or fine strainer over a large container. Carefully pour the mixture through the cheesecloth, straining the solid parts. The liquid in the container is fresh coconut milk. If using a cheesecloth, squeeze it to get more milk before discarding the solid coconut.
Step 7. Store coconut milk
Pour milk into a jar and store covered in a refrigerator. The milk fat will naturally rise to the top of the jar. When you are ready to use the milk, shake it so that the fat mixes with the water again.
Method 2 of 4: Dehydrated Coconut Flake Milk
Dehydrated coconut tends to be a little thinner than grated coconut. This form is usually more common in some countries than common gratings.
Step 1. Combine equal parts coconut and milk or water in a saucepan
Not everyone agrees with using dairy or vegetable milks to make coconut milk. Decide what you prefer. It doesn't matter if you use water or vegetable milk
Step 2. Simmer for 2-4 minutes
Stir often. Do not let it boil.
Step 3. Strain through a sieve covered with artisan cheese fabric or muslin
Pour the liquid into a bowl.
Step 4. Make a bundle with the fabric, keeping the coconut inside it
Twist the fabric a lot to get as much liquid as you can from the coconut. Allow the mixture to cool before wringing the cloth so you don't burn your hands.
Step 5. Ready
Use coconut milk in your recipe.
Method 3 of 4: Make Coconut Milk Using Fresh Coconut
Step 1. Open the coconut
Place a green coconut on a hard, flat surface in the kitchen. Hold it with one hand and use a sharp knife to make circular cuts around the softest part of it. The easiest way to do this is to slash the coconut in the same place, as with a machete, until you make a deep enough cut. Continue to do this until you make a circular lid that can be lifted from the coconut.
- Use a very sharp knife to do this. A blunt knife can slip and hurt your hand.
- Another method of opening a coconut is to wrap it in a towel and place it on a hard surface. Use a rolling pin or hammer to stab the coconut in half, to break it open in half. If you use this method, make a hole in the coconut first, drain off the water and set aside.
Step 2. Make sure the coconut is fresh
Smell the coconut and inspect the pulp. If the coconut smells good and the flesh looks moist and white, you can use it. Discard the coconut if it smells bad or if the pulp is dry or faded.
Step 3. Reserve the coconut water
Pour water directly from the coconut into a blender.
Step 4. Remove the pulp
Use a spoon to remove the pulp from the coconut. Try to remove all the pulp from the coconut; don't forget to scrape the lid off the coconut as well. The pulp should have a texture similar to a dense melon and roll easily in the spoon. Put the pulp in a blender.
Step 5. Beat the coconut water and pulp
Place the lid in a blender and leave at the high level until the coconut water and pulp are well mixed and are homogeneous. At this time you can strain out the solid parts of the coconut milk or leave them there as part of the mixture. Since fresh coconut pulp is soft, many like to drink it in coconut milk, just as some like orange juice with bits.
Step 6. Store coconut milk
Pour fresh coconut milk into a jar. Put a lid on the jar and keep the milk in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Method 4 of 4: Milk from a fresh grated coconut
This method yields a thick coconut milk.
Step 1. Grate the coconut into a bowl
Step 2. Transfer the grated coconut to a blender
Step 3. Add 1 cup and 1/4 more boiling water
Step 4. Beat ingredients in "pulsar" mode
It's smart to press the lid of the blender with a towel while blending the ingredients so the lid doesn't fly off due to the heat in the container.
Step 5. Remove coconut pieces
Place the contents in a strainer covered with a muslin cloth or artisan cheese.
Step 6. Pour the milk into a glass jar to store in the refrigerator
You can also use it immediately in your recipe or cocktail.
Tips
- Coconut milk can be stored for 1 or 2 days in the refrigerator.
- Coconut milk can be frozen.