Coconut milk is made by wringing coconut meat in cheesecloth. A thick white liquid is produced–which is called thick coconut milk. The meat is then soaked in warm water and wrung again to make thin coconut milk. Both the thick and thin milk are used in a number of dishes in countries where the coconut grows plentifully. Usually, tinned coconut milk is a mixture of both the thin and thick milk. To separate the two types of coconut milk just open a can and let it settle for an hour. Then scoop the thick milk off the top.
The great thing about the coconut palm is that it grows incredibly quickly. In just 6 years it can grow from a drupe to a mature palm that has several crops per year. Although many companies advertise organic coconut oil, most coconut farmers around the world are too poor to afford fertilizer and pesticide inputs that are unnecessary for a plant that thrives without any artificial help.
Coconut milk has a rich taste. It also has a 17% fat content. The fat is mostly made up of medium chain fatty acids that the body easily converts to energy. Thus, coconut milk does not make people fat – rather it increases energy levels. Another health benefit of this milk is that is contains the antimicrobial agent lauric acid that is also found in mother’s milk.
Cooking With Coconut Milk
Thin coconut milk is used to make the Indonesian dish of chicken curry, Thai Gang Gai (also a chicken curry), and Thai Masaman beef curry. The traditional Indonesian soups sayur lodeh and soto use thin coconut water. Cuisine from the north east of Brazil uses thin coconut milk in seafood stews. The region of Bahia is especially famous for its use of the coconut in native cuisine. In the Caribbean coconut milk is a common ingredient as well. One notable dish, Pineapple Chicken Rundown, uses thin coconut milk. The dish is a stew that is cooked for a long time to ‘run down’ or evaporate all the juice and leave a flavorsome dry dish.
Thick coconut milk is like cream and is often used to make dry curries and desserts. It can be used as a substitute for milk and yoghurt by those who are lactose intolerant. The Filipino dish Ginataang Alimasag (crabs in coconut) is one of the most popular dishes in the country. The Thai dessert of mango on sticky rice uses thick coconut milk as does Mung Bean Pudding (Tua Suan). The vegetarian Indonesian dish of curried Tempeh (Tempe Gurih) uses thick coconut oil.
These are just some of the many delicious dishes that can be made with coconut milk. This plant adds a richness and subtle coconut aroma to cuisine that is unmistakable. The great thing about using coconut milk in cooking is that it is termed as a functional food because it provides a number of health benefits that surpass its usual nutritional values.
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