Coconut milk is a nutritious beverage. It is not only available in packages and cans, but it can also be prepared at home quite simply.
Making hygienic and nutrient-rich coconut milk only requires a few simple procedures.
Ingredients and Utensils Required
You will need fresh coconuts and some sort of tool to break them open. You will also need a blender and bowl. That is all, this is a surprisingly easy recipe to perform at home.
Know this to make the best coconut milk (Important)
Many people will be shocked to know that there are two types of coconut milk, Thick and Thin. This knowledge is necessary to understand the rest of this recipe. Another thing that is important to realize is that one coconut can yield many servings of coconut milk.
Of course, the more you strain milk out of the same coconut, the thinner the milk will get. Theoretically, you could keep straining milk out of the coconut hundreds of times, but up to three yields, have the best results. This is the difference between thick and thin coconut milk. These yields of decreasing thickness are called Extracts 1, 2, and 3.
Step by Step procedure on how to make coconut milk
- You will need to break open the coconut, using whatever tool is available to you. We would recommend that you use a dedicated coconut opener in the best-case scenario. However, if a coconut opener is not available to you, you can just ask the supermarket or shopkeeper to cut the coconut, before you purchase it.
- Collect the water in a glass and then grate the flesh with a hand grater. The grater you use can vary by the love you have for your fingers. Of course, the normal handheld graters of the world are quite cumbersome to use because of the coconut’s spherical shape. So, in order to save your sanity and fingers, use a handheld circular grater.
- Now, use a blender to make the coconut gratings into a paste, and add a cup of water to it so that the paste isn’t too thick.
- Now, pour the coconut paste into a strainer and put a bowl underneath, then press with a spoon or such utensil to strain out the coconut milk.
- Voila, your Thick Coconut Milk is ready, also known as, Extract 1. Use this Thick Coconut Milk in baking projects and Biryani recipes. This milk’s texture is shockingly similar to real milk, however, the coconut aroma and taste are what make it unique. This is the type of coconut milk that is readily sold in stores.
How to make extracts 2 and 3
- Repeat the same process as you did to make extract 1. However, add half a cup more water.
- To make extract 3, repeat the same procedure as for extract 1 but add one cup more water.
Tips For Serving And Storage:
You can cook coconut milk for 2 minutes with a mixture of sugar and cardamom powder for appam, idiyappam, and more.
You can store the coconut milk for a day at normal room temperature, and you can use it for two days if refrigerated.
Coconut milk contains huge health benefits, which help to improve your cholesterol level, decrease inflammation, fight bacteria and viruses, and more. Apart from all the health benefits, coconut milk is more favoured for its creamy texture. Hence, you can add this healthy coconut milk to your daily life at least twice a week to incorporate your diet plans.
Health benefits of coconut milk
Coconut milk comes with great health benefits. Keeping in mind the phrase “excess of anything is bad,” we must consume it in a regulated amount and see a healthy change.
Coconut milk is filled with antioxidants and also helps in regulating body weight. It is believed that it helps retain good heart health and also promotes skin health. It is seen that coconut is rich in iron and vitamins, hence coconut milk is a significant food to prevent anaemia.