Coconut milk/cream in Thai cooking

[_john]

I remember seeing somewhere that when you use coconut milk or cream for a Thai curry it should be "cracked" at some point. By cracked I mean boiled down so that the oil separates from the solids and almost all the liquid is boiled off. Has anyone else heard this or know when/why it's done?

[C. sapidus]

Coconut cream is cracked so that ingredients can be fried in coconut oil at rather than boiled in coconut milk. The coconut oil can reach a higher temperature after the water is gone. This is similar to clarifying butter.

Some northern Thai curries are fried in rendered pork fat or oil, but coconut milk solids add wonderfully rich flavor.

[iii_bake]

Coconut cream is cracked so that ingredients can be fried in coconut oil at rather than boiled in coconut milk. The coconut oil can reach a higher temperature after the water is gone. This is similar to clarifying butter.

Some northern Thai curries are fried in rendered pork fat or oil, but coconut milk solids add wonderfully rich flavor.

←

May I also add that (stir)frying helps heighten the fragranace of the herbs n spices blended in the curry paste?

I saw the term"crack" the first and only time in Thai Food of David Thompson...i have never heard of the term before...i looked up in

Crack- Merriam Webster and still unable to match the word.

I heated the coconut milk to get the oil all my life and it is my wonder.

can anyone help with this?

Thanks

[_john]

ok, so it is to fry things in and add flavor from the solids. should I fry the curry paste in it or the other ingredients? when does the curry paste come into play?

[Chris Hennes]

ok, so it is to fry things in and add flavor from the solids. should I fry the curry paste in it or the other ingredients? when does the curry paste come into play?

←

I generally start the solidified stuff on the top of the can of coconut milk and curry paste in the pan, "crack" the coconut milk so that the curry paste is frying in the coconut oil (medium-high heat for me). I fry the paste for a couple minutes, until it is smelling really fragrant, then I add the rest of the liquid from the coconut milk and whatever other flavorings I am using (fish sauce, brown sugar, etc.). I let this simmer for a few minutes, then turn up the heat, add the veggies, cook until done, and voila! Of course, I have no idea if this is the "authentic" method (I think I got it from Cook's Illustrated), but it sure tastes good...