How to make coconut milk from scratch with step by step photos. A step by step tutorial to make fresh coconut milk at home. I make coconut milk at least twice a month. Apart from using coconut milk in various Tamil recipes as well as other regional Indian cuisine, we drink slightly sweetened coconut milk as such. Coconut milk is a very healthy drink suitable for even toddlers and kids. Sweetened coconut milk is also eaten as side dish for appam, idiyappam. Mostly coconut milk is used in south Indian curries like veg stew, kurma, and payasams. Coconut milk is a great alternate to people with dairy allergy. Coconut milk can be used in place of dairy milk.
I always use freshly grated coconut to extract coconut milk. It is obvious as I always use only fresh coconut in my cooking. I have never purchased coconut milk too. Given that making coconut milk at home is easy and simple there is no need to spend on those expensive tins or cartons. Usually we extract coconut milk three times from a measure of grated coconut. The first coconut milk is very thick and creamy. This first extract is usually added at the final stage of a recipe. This first extracted coconut milk should not be boiled or simmered. If boiled it will curdle. The second and third coconut milk can be boiled and simmered.
Though I make and use coconut milk in Indian recipes very often I have not blogged much about it here. I use it in stew, sodhi, coconut milk pulao, biryani, coconut halwa, mango coconut jelly, mango coconut ice cream recipes.
The freshly prepared coconut milk can be stored for 3-4 days in fridge. The leftover fine coconut after making coconut milk need not be discarded. I sometimes use it in making masala paste for tiffin sambar, sambar, kuruma etc. You can also roast in low flame and store airtight. This coconut flour can be used in baking cookies, cakes etc. The leftover coconut can also be used as face scrub which I personally recommend.
Serve coconut milk sweetened with sugar or jaggery with idliyappam. Use coconut milk in curries, stews and korma as per required.
How to make coconut milk with fresh coconut from scratch at home:
Break open the coconut just before extracting the milk.
Using a coconut grater grate the white meat of the coconut. Carefully grate only the white part of the coconut milk.
Transfer the collected grated coconut in a mixer jar.
Add 1/2 cup warm water and grind to a very smooth paste.
Pour the ground paste over a strainer and press with a ladle gently.
Collect the first milk in a cup and set aside. This is the thick coconut milk and very creamy too.
Now take the leftover coconut and add 1/2 cup water.Extract second milk. You can also take third milk if you wish. These thin coconut milk can be simmered or boiled in curries.
Now the fresh homemade coconut milk is ready to use in Indian curries and gravies.
How to make coconut milk recipe card below:
How to make coconut milk recipe from fresh coconut | Homemade coconut milk recipe
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly grated coconut
- 1/2 cup warm water + more for second and third extract
Instructions
- Break open the coconut just before extracting the milk.
- Using a coconut grater grate the white meat of the coconut. Carefully grate only the white part of the coconut milk.
- Transfer the collected grated coconut in a mixer jar.
- Add 1/2 cup warm water and grind to a very smooth paste.
- Pour the ground paste over a strainer and press with a ladle gently.
- Collect the first milk in a cup and set aside. This is the thick coconut milk and very creamy too.
- Now take the leftover coconut and add 1/2 cup water.Extract second milk. You can also take third milk if you wish. These thin coconut milk can be simmered or boiled in curries.
- Now the fresh homemade coconut milk is ready to use in Indian curries and gravies.
Notes
2. Use matured coconut as it will yield more milk
3. Amount of water will vary slightly with the quality of coconut.
rani says
Thank you for this very informative post on homemade coconut milk. Very easy to follow.