I’m about to go pick up a rooster (true story!).
While I’m out wrestling with a cock and trying to get it from Point A to Point B without him pecking me to death, here’s a little more on the subject of coconuts. Coconut week, it’s glorious!
Today, a quick lesson on coconut milk. If you’ve grown up in a coconut-deprived place like the U.S. and like me, are completely new to the idea of coconuts, listen up: coconut milk is NOT coconut juice!
Coconut juice is the clear, watery liquid that is stored inside the coconut, the thing that you see island castaways gulping down in the movies. Coconut milk is a whole different thing, made from immersing the rich, fatty flesh of the coconut in water, soaking for some time, then extracting or straining or pressing the soaking liquid. Instead of me going on and on about the upsides of coconut milk, click on over to OdeWire, who gives a great summary on some of its uses and benefits.
Now, more importantly, how to make coconut milk:
What you’ll need:
- 2 coconuts, plus the juice and meat (instructions here)
- 3 cups water, boiled
- blender (optional, but awesome)
- cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer
- Place coconut meat, coconut juice, and hot water in a high-speed blender. Blend on high speed for 45 seconds. (I love our Blendtech!) Alternatively, you can use a regular blender, or simply chop up the coconut into relatively small chunks and allow the meat to soak in the water overnight.
- Let the mixture sit for 2-3 hours. After this time, swirl liquid around, and pour into a sieve lined with a cheesecloth set above a bowl. Drain.
- Gather the four corners of the cheesecloth together, and squeeze all the liquid out of the milk. Trust me, you’ll want every. last. drop.
- Store in the fridge, will keep for a couple of days. The fat will separate to form a layer at the top, so make sure to shake a few times before using.
Try not to drink all of it right away, too, because it’s awfully good with some braised greens…(do you sense a recipe coming tomorrow?)
Also, if you’re interested in buying the most AMAZING coconut water on shelves in the US, I urge you to buy C2O, which can be found at your local Whole Foods Market or ordered to your home on Amazon. The DiploMan and I imported 9 cases here with us in our shipment…and we’re already halfway through.