Beverages

Thick Coconut Milk

  • 1 Coconut
  • 2 cups Hot water (see Note)

    • Coconut milk is made by pressing a mixture of shredded coconut and hot water through a strainer. The first pressing yields Thick Coconut Milk. A second pressing will yield Thin Coconut Milk (recipebelow). Combining the liquid from bothpressings is similar to mixing cream and skim milk to yield whole milk.

    1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Place the coconut in a small baking dish and cook until the outer shell cracks in several places, about 30 minutes.

    2. Wrap the hot coconut in 3 layers of kitchen towels. Using a small hammer, pound the wrapped coconut until it breaks open.

    3. Unwrap the coconut and discard the liquid inside. Using a strong dull knife, pry thehard, outer shell away from the coconutmeat. Using a vegetable peeler, removethe thin brown skin from the coconut.

    4. Cut the white coconut meat into 1-inch pieces. Place in a food processor and process until shredded (there will be about 3 cups of coconut.)

    5. Pour the hot water over the coconut and process for 1 minute. Transfer to a fine strainer set over a large bowl and press with arubber spatula or wooden spoon. Reserve the shredded coconut to make Thin Coconut Milk (see below).

    NOTE:

    For an evenricher coconut milk, use milk instead of water.

    THIN COCONUT MILK:.

    Return thereserved shredded coconut to the food processor. Add 2 cups of hot water and process for 1 minute. Transfer the coconut to a fine strainer set over a large bowl and press the mixture through.

    Makes 1-1/2 cups.

    This recipe courtesy of the From My Kitchen Cookbook. 

    Contributed by Ronald Walton of New York, New York. 

    Visit http://www.frommykitchen.net and get your copy of From My Kitchen: Internet-ready recipe software.  Your kitchen will never be the same!