Making Fresh Coconut Milk at Home
You only need a ripe coconut and a little patience to extract milk that is thick, fragrant, and free of additives. This process relies entirely on the quality of the coconut meat and the force used during the final squeeze.
Choosing the right nut matters
Pick a coconut that feels heavy for its size and sounds like it is full of liquid when shaken. If it smells sour through the husk, skip it.
- hammer or heavy mallet
- box grater or food processor
- cheesecloth or clean nut milk bag
- large mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 1 wholemature brown coconut
- 2 cupshot (not boiling) water
Extracting the cream
The strength of your squeeze is the only way to get the fat out of the fiber. Don't just let it drip; wring the cloth tightly until no more liquid emerges.
The method.
Open the coconut
Pierce one of the three soft 'eyes' of the coconut with a screwdriver to drain the coconut water into a glass. Once drained, tap the coconut around its equator with a hammer until it cracks open.
Remove the meat
Use a butter knife to pry the white meat away from the hard shell. Peel off the dark brown skin with a vegetable peeler if you want pure white milk, though leaving it on is fine for a nuttier, earthier taste.
Blend
Cut the meat into small chunks. Place them in a blender with two cups of hot water. Pulse until the mixture looks like thick, snowy porridge.
Strain
Line a bowl with your cloth. Pour the mixture into the center, gather the corners, and twist the cloth closed. Squeeze firmly over the bowl until the fiber is dry to the touch.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Save the leftover coconut pulp; spread it on a tray and bake at a low temperature to make homemade desiccated coconut.
If you want thinner milk, add an extra half-cup of water during the blending stage.
Store the finished milk in a glass jar in the refrigerator; it will keep for about three days, though the cream will rise to the top—just give it a shake before using.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use cold water?
Hot water helps soften the oils in the coconut meat, making them easier to extract. Cold water will result in a thinner, less flavorful milk.
Why did my milk turn gray?
This usually happens if you include too much of the dark brown husk skin in the blend. It does not change the flavor, only the color.
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