Making Fresh Coconut Milk
There is a distinct difference between the canned version and milk extracted from a fresh mature coconut. This process captures the natural oils and aroma that evaporate during industrial processing.
Use only mature coconuts
Look for a coconut that feels heavy and sloshes when shaken; the meat should be firm and white, not soft or gelatinous.
- Heavy knife or cleaver
- Box grater or food processor
- Nut milk bag or layered cheesecloth
- Large mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 1Mature coconut, brown and hairy
- 2 cupsHot water (not boiling)
The double-press method
The first press captures the thick, opaque cream, while adding more hot water and pressing a second time pulls the remaining oils for a lighter milk.
The method.
Open the coconut
Pierce one of the eyes with a screwdriver to drain the water. Wrap the coconut in a towel and strike the equator firmly with the back of a cleaver until it splits.
Remove and grate
Use a paring knife to pry the meat from the shell. Peel off the thin brown skin with a vegetable peeler. Grate the white meat finely into a bowl.
First extraction
Pour one cup of hot water over the grated coconut. Let it sit for five minutes until the water is comfortable to touch, then pour into the bag and squeeze hard over a bowl until no more liquid emerges.
Second extraction
Return the pulp to the bowl, add the second cup of hot water, and repeat the squeezing process. Discard the dry pulp.
Other turns to take.
Toasted Coconut Milk
Lightly toast the grated coconut in a dry skillet until golden before adding the hot water for a deeper, nuttier profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Discard the brown skin carefully; leaving it on results in a beige, slightly bitter milk rather than a snowy white one.
If the meat is difficult to remove, place the cracked coconut in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to help the flesh pull away from the shell.
Use a food processor to pulse the coconut into fine shreds before adding water for maximum extraction.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long does this keep?
Keep it in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator. It will separate into cream and water; simply shake it vigorously before using.
Can I use boiling water?
Avoid boiling water as it can cook the proteins in the coconut meat prematurely, making it difficult to extract the milk cleanly.
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