Tips for cooking with coconut milk

[ChanellG]

I don't care for the meat of the coconut, but for some reason, I love dishes prepared with coconut milk. I've figured out how to make a fairly decent coconut rice, and I use it often to make curry style dishes. I haven't done a soup with it yet, though that will probably be next...

The one thing I have learned is that it is important to cut the coconut milk (from a can) with stock or the dish will be heavy on the stomach. The thing is, doing this increases the volume of liquid more than you really need so I am looking for other things to do with coconut milk so that I won't have so much left over.

Any suggestions?

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

Coconut creme brulee. Just replace all the milk and cream in a normal creme brulee with a good quality coconut milk.


Coconut milk does freeze very well by the way, so there should never be any to throw away.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I talked it you can't just buy a smaller can or packet? My local supermarket had started stocking ½ can size in packets so you don't need as much. Or you could just get those really small came off coconut cream and add that to stock instead.

 

[ChanellG]

Coconut creme brulee. Just replace all the milk and cream in a normal creme brulee with a good quality coconut milk.

Coconut milk does freeze very well by the way, so there should never be any to throw away.

I wondered about that. I could always freeze it ahead of time in an ice tray and have cubes on hand for when I wanted to add a bit to a dish. I may just try that out! The creme brulee sounds interesting. I may have to try that as well, though first I have to get a torch.

 

[ChanellG]

I talked it you can't just buy a smaller can or packet? My local supermarket had started stocking ½ can size in packets so you don't need as much. Or you could just get those really small came off coconut cream and add that to stock instead.

I have only ever seen the cans, which are around 15 or 16 ounces, I think. Think the size of a tin of beans. I have also seen the soft cartons, but I think those only come in the larger size. It's not a big ingredient here, but I'm seeing it more often than in the past, and I can sometimes get it for only a dollar or two a can. I just don't cook in large volumes.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have only ever seen the cans, which are around 15 or 16 ounces, I think. Think the size of a tin of beans. I have also seen the soft cartons, but I think those only come in the larger size. It's not a big ingredient here, but I'm seeing it more often than in the past, and I can sometimes get it for only a dollar or two a can. I just don't cook in large volumes.

Very recently my local supermarket have started to stock the 200ml sachet by Thai Taste. Also you can get coconut milk powder from Maggi (part of Kraft's). Is have the size of the standard tin which is the more usual quantity here as well.

But there is also a coconut cream available which is liquid in a 160ml tiny tin, as well as the solid cream of coconut that comes on a packet.



Finally the powdered stuff...



All would work if you could find the USA equivalents.

 

[Arch]

I use the solid block stuff, usually I cut a chunk off, chop it up roughly and melt it into a curry to give a korma style finish,

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

I have only ever seen the cans, which are around 15 or 16 ounces, I think. Think the size of a tin of beans. I have also seen the soft cartons, but I think those only come in the larger size. It's not a big ingredient here, but I'm seeing it more often than in the past, and I can sometimes get it for only a dollar or two a can. I just don't cook in large volumes.

It seems strange at first, but coconut milk is a bit like olive oil, the pulped coconut flesh is pressed seversal times, so not all coconut milk is the same. In the UK tinned milk csn range from £2.00 to 50p with the cheapest being very thin and watery.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

In the UK tinned milk csn range from £2.00 to 50p with the cheapest being very thin and watery.

indeed and to date my favourite is the Thai Taste one followed closely by the Bart's blocks.

 

[ChanellG]

I've tried a few different ones, including the 365 from Whole Foods and right now I have something I picked up at Big Lots for $1. It's something that they distribute that says "made in Thailand." I'm thinking of trying the Silk one and definitely the Goya. Apparently there's a lot to learn about this particular foodstuff.

...But there is also a coconut cream available which is liquid in a 160ml tiny tin, as well as the solid cream of coconut that comes on a packet.
...All would work if you could find the USA equivalents.

I use the solid block stuff...

It seems strange at first, but coconut milk is a bit like olive oil... with the cheapest being very thin and watery.

I think I need to find out about what goes on with the processing and what makes the cream and powders different.

 

[clairebeautiful]

I have an awesome white chicken chili recipe and the "secret" ingredient (that makes the dish for me) is a can of coconut milk.

Instead of posting the entire recipe here, I'd just say find any recipe for basic white chicken chili, and then add the cream (or the entire can) from a can of coconut milk to the pot in the last hour of cooking. It perfectly blends savory, spicy, and sweet. I love it. And I love that you can't taste the coconut, but you can tell there's something different about the chili.

 

[ChanellG]

I have an awesome white chicken chili recipe and the "secret" ingredient (that makes the dish for me) is a can of coconut milk.

Instead of posting the entire recipe here, I'd just say find any recipe for basic white chicken chili, and then add the cream (or the entire can) from a can of coconut milk to the pot in the last hour of cooking. It perfectly blends savory, spicy, and sweet. I love it. And I love that you can't taste the coconut, but you can tell there's something different about the chili.

That sounds (looks) interesting! I won't be making mine with chicken, but maybe a tofu version. Maybe I could take a shortcut and add the milk to canned vegetarian chili, that is if I can find one made without peppers. I haven't made chili from "scratch" in years, and even then I was using those powdered seasoning packets from the grocery store.