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    Home » Recipes » Kitchen Basics

    Homemade Coconut Milk Recipe and Ways to Use in Indian Recipes

    Modified: Aug 6, 2024 Published: Jun 15, 2018 by Sravanthi Chanda. Leave a Comment

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    Coconut milk is the most versatile and nutritious drink that lends a creamy and naturally sweet taste to the dishes.
    In this post, I will show you how to make coconut milk in just 10 minutes and various easy vegetarian recipes using coconut milk.

    In India, fresh coconut is easily accessible to everyone. I make laddoos using freshly grated coconut. You can find a laddoo recipe with jaggery and sugar.

    Coconut milk, a vegan alternative to regular milk, is used extensively in my kitchen. After being vegan for more than a year, I find coconut milk as the best alternative in Indian food except for Indian chai or tea.

    Try using coconut milk more even though you are not vegan for its high nutrient profile.

    How to use coconut milk

    • Use it in place of regular milk or cream in all Indian curries. You will not be able to find any difference.
    • Make yogurt with coconut milk and use it in place of regular yogurt.
    • Use it with milkshakes and smoothies.
    • Coconut milk is a good alternative for regular milk in pudding type of Indian sweets like kheer, payasam, halwa, etc.,
    • Make pulao with coconut milk or add it to any one-pot rice recipe for a richer flavor.
    • You can use coconut milk in cupcakes, muffins, and cookies in place of regular milk. Fat in coconut milk makes baked goodies rich.
    How to make coconut milk and vegetarian recipes using coconut milk

    How to store coconut milk

    If you are using fresh coconut for making the milk, you can store coconut milk in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Storing it on the inner side of the refrigerator keeps it fresh for more days.

    If you are using frozen coconut, then the shelf life of coconut milk might be less.

    You could store the coconut milk in the freezer for months, but you will lose the texture of milk. And, I generally don’t do it.
    Instead, I store excess fresh coconut in the freezer and thaw it when making coconut milk.

    How to make coconut milk at home

    1. Prep the coconut

    If using fresh coconut, break the coconut. Collect the water( it’s the coconut water) and chop the white flesh of coconut into small pieces.
    You could even grate it but, I don’t do it as we are adding it to the blender to make the milk.

    If you are using frozen grated coconut, thaw the coconut and add 2 cups of tightly packed coconut to the blender.

    If using frozen whole coconut, I don’t even chop it into fine pieces as the texture is a little smoother when compared to fresh coconut.

    2. Blend the coconut with water

    Add 1 cup water to the chopped coconut and blend it for 5 minutes. Make sure to stop the blender in between to avoid getting overheated.

    3. Strain the coconut mixture

    Strain the mixture using a nut milk bag or strainer or cheesecloth. The strained white liquid is coconut milk, usually called thick or first extract coconut milk.

    You should not boil this first extract coconut milk as it curdles.

    Now put the residual coconut mixture into the blender again and add 1 to 1.5 cups of water. Blend it for 3 to 4 minutes. Extract the coconut milk like you did before into another bowl, and this yields a little thin coconut milk and called second extract coconut milk or thin coconut milk.

    If you do not want to extract twice, add 2 cups of water for one coconut, blend it smooth, and squeeze the milk.

    Recipe tips and notes:

    • You can boil the thin coconut milk, and as it has left fat content, it will not curdle.
    • Use thin coconut milk for cooking purposes and thick coconut milk for milkshakes or add it at the end of the dish as the replacement for cream.
    • To make the thick yogurt, I use thick or first extract milk.
    • And unless making Indian sweets or any recipes that need boiling of coconut milk, I don’t extract coconut milk second time from the same coconut.
    • You will get almost everything from coconut in the first extract itself.
    • As I prepare coconut milk every other day, I find it as time-consuming to make two extracts of coconut milk.

    Easy vegetarian recipes using coconut milk

    Indian Spiced Basmati Coconut Milk Rice

    Coconut Milk rice recipe
    Basmati Coconut Milk Pulao is a fragrant one-pot rice dish cooked with creamy coconut milk, spices, and various seasonal vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and green peas. This gluten-free recipe is a delightful and nutritious option for lunch or dinner.
    VIEW RECIPE

    Coconut milk rasam

    kobbari charu in a bowl
    Extremely simple yet tasty Andhra style kobbari charu recipe that has mild sweetness from the coconut and lightly spicy from green chili
    VIEW RECIPE

    Quinoa pudding

    quinoa pudding in a bowl
    Make this quinoa pudding that is a delicious alternative to your regular rice pudding. This quinoa pudding recipe is vegan and gluten-free, but you can make this with your regular milk as well.
    VIEW RECIPE

    Black Rice Pudding - Black Rice Kheer Recipe

    Black rice kheer - black rice payasam
    Black Rice Pudding is a delightful and nutritious dessert made with black rice, coconut milk, and coconut sugar, creating a rich and creamy pudding. This vegan recipe is delicious and packed with nutrients, making it a wholesome choice for a sweet treat.
    VIEW RECIPE

    Peanut butter strawberry banana smoothie without yogurt

    strawberry banana smoothie in a glass
    Are you looking for quick breakfast ideas? Make this easy four-ingredient peanut butter strawberry-banana smoothie for your breakfast. This delicious smoothie is vegan and does not use yogurt or milk.

    Recipe

    How to make coconut milk and vegetarian recipes using coconut milk

    Homemade Coconut Milk Recipe and Ways to Use in Indian Recipes

    By: Sravanthi Chanda
    Homemade Coconut Milk is a versatile, creamy, naturally sweet plant-based milk made from freshly grated coconut blended with water. This vegan and gluten-free alternative to regular milk is perfect for Indian curries, desserts, smoothies, and baked goods.

    Rate this recipe by clicking the stars!

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 minute min
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine Global
    Servings 2 cups
    Calories 80 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 coconut 2 cups grated fresh coconut
    • 2 to 2.5 cups water

    Instructions
     

    • If using fresh coconut, break the coconut. Collect the water( it’s the coconut water) and chop the white flesh of coconut into small pieces.
    • If you are using frozen grated coconut, thaw the coconut and add 2 cups of tightly packed coconut to the blender.
    • Add 1 cup water to the chopped coconut and blend it for 5 minutes. Make sure to stop the blender in between to avoid getting overheated.
    • Strain the mixture using a nut milk bag or strainer or cheesecloth. The strained white liquid is coconut milk, usually called thick or first extract coconut milk.
    • Now put the residual coconut mixture into the blender again and add 1 to 1.5 cups of water. Blend it for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Extract the coconut milk like you did before into another bowl, and this yields a little thin coconut milk and called second extract coconut milk or thin coconut milk.
    • If you do not want to extract twice, add 2 cups of water for one coconut (approximately 2 cups of grated coconut), blend it smooth, and squeeze the milk.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
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    Sravanthi Chanda author of everydaynourishingfoods

    I'm Sravanthi Chanda and I share Indian lunch and dinner recipes on my blog. These easy-to-follow recipes are made from scratch using fresh ingredients and come with step-by-step photos, perfect for family meals.

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