How to Extract The Fresh Coconut Milk

Using Fresh produce and ingredients makes all the difference to flavour and the overall quality of your food. Yes you hear it all the time, but it cannot be underestimated, and you can't hear it enough! There is nothing like the flavour of fresh ingredients. Once ingredients are processed, canned or even frozen, they lose so much of their properties and flavour that they almost become different from the real thing! Once you try food that has been prepared using fresh ingredients you will instatnlt know what you have been missing on all along.

Finely Grated Fresh Coconut

Coconut milk is a perfect example of this fact. Coconut milk is so delightful and can be used in many food preparations both savoury and sweet. The addition of this milk instantly transforms a dish - with a distinctive coconut flavour -to one of tropical nature, maybe even take your thoughts to far away places... adding to the whole experience of having those foods.We mostly use canned coconut milk, and at times the powder version of it. But just try a curry made with fresh coconut milk! I am telling you it is 100% better. So if you liked it with the canned stuff, you are going to love it made with fresh coconut milk.

Fresh Coconut Milk is not hard to extract, in fact it is so easy that you will think: why did I ever go for the canned stuff?! Here is how it's made...

Strongly Rub the finely grated coconut flesh to release the milk

Get a fresh coconut that still has it's natural water. Don't worry if you can't find one with its natural water still there, you can always use drinking water. Drain the coconut water through a sieve into a bowl and set aside.

Peel and finely grated the flesh of the coconut and place in a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp coconut water and let it rest for about 2 hours. You will find that it has drained off some of its natural juices at the bottom of the bowl. Strongly rub the shredded coconut releasing the milk out onto the bowl.

Grab handfuls of the coconut flesh and squeeze the milk out till no milk comes out

Grab handfuls of the grated coconut and squeeze all the milk out until no more can be squeezed. Place the dried coconut in separate bowl.

Continue to squeeze till all quantity had finished. Pass the milk through a sieve to get rid of any flesh. And there you have fresh coconut milk.

The remaining dry flesh after all milk had been squeezed out

You can either spread the dried coconut flesh on a large tray and place in the sun to dry, to get your home-dried descicated coconuts, or you can use this flesh in making Coconut Chutney (will post recipe soon).
How much easier can it get?! Simple Natural Fresh Goodness..... Doesn't get any better!


Have you ever tried a fresh ingredient that changed your perspective on a specific dish? Share your experience with us, we love nothing more than hearing about your experiences :))