how to make coconut milk – homemade coconut milk recipe |Cooking With Amanda

how to make coconut milk from scratch – since i make coconut milk often, here is a step by step post, which i thought would help many of you.

this post has been in the pipeline for 6 months. it has taken me so long to write something as simple and basic as preparing coconut milk, which i often use in my cooking. apart from adding it to the south indian curry recipes and payasams, i also make milkshakes with thin coconut milk. and the milkshakes are really refreshing and light.

i always use fresh coconut to prepare the coconut milk. the method is very easy. i always prepare 3 extracts. the last two extracts of thin coconut milk goes into curries or payasams and sometimes into milkshakes. the first thick extract is later added to the curries or payasam dishes. keep in mind, the 2nd or 3rd extract can be boiled or simmered, the 1st extract cannot be boiled. if you boil the 1st thick coconut milk, it will curdle.

this coconut milk was added to kerala vegetable stew, appams and banana milkshake. so before you get confused into 1st or 2nd extract let me take you through the process of preparing coconut milk.

simple steps to make coconut milk at home:

1: take a fresh mature coconut and break it open. collect the water in a glass and grate the white flesh with a hand grater. in india we also have a manual grater which has a seat and is used traditionally. here i have grated the white meat with a hand held grater.

2: take the coconut grating in a blender jar. add 1 cup water and blend till the coconut is ground well for a couple of minutes.

3: pour the contents in a bowl or pan lined with a thin muslin or fine strainer.

4: the coconut milk will be strained. press with a spoon on the coconut shreds so that all the milk is strained away.

5: what you get now is the thick coconut milk or the 1st extract.

6: put back the coconut shreds in the blender again. add 1 to 1.5 cups water and blend again. again strain the content in a different bowl or pan using the same strainer or muslin. press with a spoon on the shreds again.

7: this is the thin coconut milk or the 2nd extract.

8: you can stop here or continue to get the 3rd extract. proceed in the same way as for getting the 2nd extract. you can keep the 2nd and 3rd extract separate or mix them up. mostly when making curries, i mix the 2nd and 3rd extracts.

so now you have fresh homemade coconut milk ready which you can use in your cooking or baking. you can also keep the coconut milk in the fridge. it stays good for 3-4 days. you can add this coconut milk to milkshakes also.

more how to recipes -
1. how to make curd
2. how to make paneer
3. how to make cashew yogurt
4. how to make butter at home

how to make coconut milk recipe details below:

how to make coconut milk – homemade coconut milk recipe

Author: dassana

Cuisine: south indian

2 & ½ cups grated coconut
3 to 4 cups water at room temperature

take all the grated coconut in a blender jar.
add the 1 cup water and blend on high till the coconut is ground well.
strain in a cheesecloth/muslin or a fine sieve and collect the first extract in a bowl or pan.
this is the thick coconut milk or the first extract.
then collect and put back the coconut residue into the blender.
add 1 to 1.5 cups water and blend again.
strain and collect this coconut milk in another bowl.
this is the thin coconut milk or the second extract.
put back the coconut gratings again in the blender.
add 1 to 1.5 cups water and blend again.
this is thinnest coconut milk or the third extract.
strain for the third time and collect the third coconut milk in the bowl in which the second thin coconut milk is extracted.
you can also keep the third extract separate.
so the fresh coconut milk is ready. use it fresh in your cooking.
you can also refrigerate and use the coconut milk later.