Making Coconut Milk from Dried Coconut

[Shel_B]

It's been on my mind for a while to make coconutmilk, and I've checked numerous recipes and found it's pretty easy to do. Easier than almond milk.

I want to make the milk from dried coconut, and this morning I purchased about a pound of very fragrant coconut shreds. Perhaps those who have made this can share some experiences, techniques, or tricks to maling a nice, flavorful batch of this milk. Thanks!

Edited December 4, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Norm Matthews]

I have never tried to make coconut milk from dried coconut but these directions might help.

Remove the meat from a coconut and grate it in a food processor. A large coconut should yield 2 cups of coconut meat.

To milk a coconut, pour two cups boiling water over 4 cups grated coconut meat. Let stand for 20 minutes. Strain through double thickness of cheese cloth, squeezing to remove all liquid. Store this liquid in the refrigerator. If it is to be heated, bring just to the boiling point. Otherwise it is apt to curdle. Makes 2 cups of Coconut Milk

Coconut Cream

To make 2 cups of Coconut Cream you will need 6 cups of grated coconut meat to 2 cups of boiling water. Proceed the same as for coconut milk. Let the liquid chill for a couple of hours., The cream substance that rises to the top is skimmed off. This is called Coconut Cream.. It may be served as a sauce or it may be whipped. Be careful about whipping, however, or you could end up with cocoa butter.

[annabelle]

I buy it in cans. Much more convenient and less labor intensive.

[Shalmanese]

I'm pretty sure dried coconut is what's leftover from after making coconut milk. It's not likely to work very well, I've tried in the past.

[Shel_B]

I'm pretty sure dried coconut is what's leftover from after making coconut milk. It's not likely to work very well, I've tried in the past.

I believe you're mistaken. Dried, or dessicated, coconut flakes or shreds, are made by removing the husks and shells from the coconut meat, washing the meat, and then shredding and dehydrating it.

[Shel_B]

Tonight I made a quart of coconut milk for the first time. I was very pleased with the results -

2 cups good quality shredded coconut

4 cups hot water

Let shreds sit in hot (not boiling) water for about ten minutes, blend like crazy for two-three minutes, strain into a container. press out as much liquid as possible. Amount of liquid in the container was about 3 cups. Put the pulp back into the blender, add about 1.5 - 2 cups hot water, and repeat the process. Result was just slightly more than a quart.

The taste was better than that of many coconut milk brands I've tried, and there is no BPA, additives, stabilizers, or preservatives. This is good stuff ... better than canned.

[jsager01]

try fresh frozen coconut milk, or start with fresh frozen shredded coconut. You may be able to get them at chinese/asian grocery stores.

[Shel_B]

try fresh frozen coconut milk, or start with fresh frozen shredded coconut. You may be able to get them at chinese/asian grocery stores.

Why? What is the advantage? Please explain your suggestion.

[jsager01]

my suggestion was in response to what i understand of your quest, , ie better tasting coconut milk with minimal or no added chemicals, and my suggestion could be the alternatives that you may have overlooked.

fresh frozen coconut milk is convenient, just thaw and use, the ones i buy do not state any added chemicals on their labels.

ditto for fresh frozen shredded coconut, and although i am not a food technologist, and YMMV, frozen has better flavor than dried/dessicated coconut.

btw, after the hot water and blending treatment, you may want to try putting the shredded coconut into a cheesecloth bag, or equivalent, then put into a strong enough colander or strainer, over which i lay on my granite mortar, and let gravity take its course ....with a final wring out of the cheesecloth bag and its contents.

[Shel_B]

my suggestion was in response to what i understand of your quest, , ie better tasting coconut milk with minimal or no added chemicals, and my suggestion could be the alternatives that you may have overlooked.

You're right. I didn't know frozen coconut was available

btw, after the hot water and blending treatment, you may want to try putting the shredded coconut into a cheesecloth bag, or equivalent, then put into a strong enough colander or strainer, over which i lay on my granite mortar, and let gravity take its course ....with a final wring out of the cheesecloth bag and its contents.

Yes. I did that when making almond milk. Should work just fine when making coconut milk.

[sunzi]

I'm pretty sure dried coconut is what's leftover from after making coconut milk. It's not likely to work very well, I've tried in the past.

I believe you're mistaken. Dried, or dessicated, coconut flakes or shreds, are made by removing the husks and shells from the coconut meat, washing the meat, and then shredding and dehydrating it.

Shalmanese stated that the raw coconut meat is washed to produce coconut milk, and the remaining flesh is dried to make "dried coconut".. then you say that the coconut meat is washed and shredded then "dehydrated"...

dehydrated and dried pretty much mean the same thing, so im a little confused at what your disagreeing with.

anyway lets focus on answering your question....

i tried many many years ago to make coconut milk from both dissicated and shredded coconut... then i discovered how convenient it was to simply open a can.

whats your time worth + improved flavour vs the cost of a can + more time with friends/family/research/other things to cook.

ask yourself the question.... do i really expect to get fresh coconut milk from dehydrated dessicated/shredded coconut that will be comparable to coconut milk obtained from fresh coconut flesh?

[Shel_B]

No, the statement was that dried coconut is what's left over after making coconut milk, not what you said.

As for making it myself, well, I don't like the coconut milk I've tasted from cans very much. Cans have BPA, and many of the milks have additives and thickeners, also not wanted.

Do I expect to get coconut milk equal to that obtained from fresh coconut flesh? Not really, but my results thus far have been markedly improved over canned.

I get a pleasure from making things that I don't get from opening a can. It ain't always about convenience.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[djyee100]

Natural Value is a canned coconut milk brand without preservatives or guar gum. It's canned in non-BPA tin. The coconut milk has a nice clean flavor. Offhand I can't point to a market that sells it, though. The people I know buy it online.

Other superior brands of canned coconut milk are Chaokoh and Mae Ploy, most often found in Asian supermarkets.

[annabelle]

Most natural foods stores will carry those brands of coconut milk. I buy them for baking now and again.

[Shel_B]

Natural Value is a canned coconut milk brand without preservatives or guar gum. It's canned in non-BPA tin. The coconut milk has a nice clean flavor. Offhand I can't point to a market that sells it, though. The people I know buy it online.

Other superior brands of canned coconut milk are Chaokoh and Mae Ploy, most often found in Asian supermarkets.

I'm familiar with, and have tried, all of these. In fact, it was my last purchase of Chaokoh that started me to think about making my own. I tried Natural Value once and didn't like it, but after your endorsement I may pick up a can or two to keep in the pantry and give it another try. The fact that it has a short list of ingredients and is in a BPA-free can is good news. There are certainly times when the convenience of a can is warranted.

However, I'll continue making my own as I enjoy the process and want to continue experimenting to see how good a result can be obtained. And the stuff I make at home tastes fresher than the canned, and that's important to me. I sometimes drink the milk straight, sometimes add it to cold cereal, and plan to make coconut popsicles when the weather turns warm.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Hassouni]

I agree with the suggestion to use frozen grated coconut. Once you thaw it, it's really second only to fresh coconut - full of oil and moisture, which you want.

[jsager01]

Do I expect to get coconut milk equal to that obtained from fresh coconut flesh? Not really, but my results thus far have been markedly improved over canned.

I get a pleasure from making things that I don't get from opening a can. It ain't always about convenience.

have you tried making coconut milk/cream from fresh coconuts? Just so you can have a benchmark.

It is not that daunting if you have a coconut scraper, as in http://store.gourmetsleuth.com/coconut-grater-wood-stool-P40.aspx

You can even make the wooden 'stool' yourself and into as intricate/simple form as you wish... mine is just a 4 by 4 with the metal piece nailed on one end, but first buy the metal piece, best bet is on the internet, make sure its stainless steel for easy maintenance, As i understand, you prefer DIY, and this will also likely cost less than half the price in the link above.

Once you have the scraper, all you need to do is to split the coconut along its equator, you dont need to separate the meat from the shell, and just place each half at atime against the scraper and scrape away, and voilà, you get fresh shredded coconut.

As to whether canned, desiccated, frozen or fresh is best, it is all very subjective and also depends on the application.

If you are drinking it straight up or in cereals, etc, then the coconut is the dominant or only flavor, and any difference becomes very evident.

If you are using it as an ingredient in baked goods, then the difference is unlikely to be obvious, except for those that have always used fresh in all their baking.

For SE Asian curry, especially Thai/Malaysian curry, i always use fresh or frozen, as it complements the other flavors much better than any canned or desiccated derivatives.. Guar gum or other thickeners/stabilizers screw up my curry. How is canned coconut milk produced without preservatives? Cook the cans at very high temps?

[Shel_B]

have you tried making coconut milk/cream from fresh coconuts? Just so you can have a benchmark.

It is not that daunting if you have a coconut scraper

For SE Asian curry, especially Thai/Malaysian curry, i always use fresh or frozen, as it complements the other flavors much better than any canned or desiccated derivatives.. Guar gum or other thickeners/stabilizers screw up my curry. How is canned coconut milk produced without preservatives? Cook the cans at very high temps?

I've not tried using fresh coconut yet. My long term plan for making coconut milk is to start with the dessicated coconut, and perfect that technique while finding the ideal ingredients. Then on to frozen shreds and frozen chunks, exploring their differences, if any. Finally, fresh coconut. When done, I'll better know my preferences.

Thanks for the pointer to the scraper. My first reaction is that I may not need it, but that remains to be seen.

I don't know how canned coconut milk is prepared sans preservatives, but I agree that additives degrade the product.

[Bill Klapp]

Two thoughts...I have made the milk the same way that you have, out of necessity, and found the results to be good, but not the quality of the top Thai canned brands. Let's face it...liquid made from reconstituting dried coconut is hardly fresh coconut milk. I am with you if you have dietary or philosophical concerns about preservatives. However, but for that, I am with those who do not find making coconut milk to be a good use of time. The truth is that, in many if not most recipes that call for coconut milk, especially Thai, you probably could not tell the difference between even fresh and canned coconut milk. For a great Thai curry, I would use canned coconut milk and spend my time and effort making fresh curry paste, which would make a profound difference over packaged. (I realize that nothing was said here about cooking Thai, but coconut milk and cream are found in many Thai dishes.)

[Shel_B]

I am with those who do not find making coconut milk to be a good use of time. The truth is that, in many if not most recipes that call for coconut milk, especially Thai, you probably could not tell the difference between even fresh and canned coconut milk. For a great Thai curry, I would use canned coconut milk and spend my time and effort making fresh curry paste, which would make a profound difference over packaged. (I realize that nothing was said here about cooking Thai, but coconut milk and cream are found in many Thai dishes.)

Time is not an issue for me. I am retired and am in a position to do what I like, what gives me pleasure. I get pleasure from making certain things myself - almond milk is another example of something I enjoy making. And, if time were an issue, it should be pointed out that it takes me less time to make the milk myself than it does to go to the store and buy it. As noted above, I will eventually get around to using frozen and fresh coconut meat, which may offer a fresher taste than dried. And since most of my uses for coconut milk are for using the milk straight rather than in curries and other cooked dishes, a fresher more lively taste than canned would be welcome.

And, for what it's worth, I found the coconut milk I made from dried coconut to be fresher tasting than the canned milk I had on hand. YMMV, and probably will. In addition, I think it's fun and educational to try and make a more satisfactory product.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Shel_B]

Natural Value is a canned coconut milk brand without preservatives or guar gum. It's canned in non-BPA tin. The coconut milk has a nice clean flavor. Offhand I can't point to a market that sells it, though. The people I know buy it online.

This morning I discovered that Trader Joe's canned coconut milk is preservative and additive free and packed in BPA-free cans

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread56566.html

[Bill Klapp]

I am with those who do not find making coconut milk to be a good use of time. The truth is that, in many if not most recipes that call for coconut milk, especially Thai, you probably could not tell the difference between even fresh and canned coconut milk. For a great Thai curry, I would use canned coconut milk and spend my time and effort making fresh curry paste, which would make a profound difference over packaged. (I realize that nothing was said here about cooking Thai, but coconut milk and cream are found in many Thai dishes.)

Time is not an issue for me. I am retired and am in a position to do what I like, what gives me pleasure. I get pleasure from making certain things myself - almond milk is another example of something I enjoy making. And, if time were an issue, it should be pointed out that it takes me less time to make the milk myself than it does to go to the store and buy it. As noted above, I will eventually get around to using frozen and fresh coconut meat, which may offer a fresher taste than dried. And since most of my uses for coconut milk are for using the milk straight rather than in curries and other cooked dishes, a fresher more lively taste than canned would be welcome.

And, for what it's worth, I found the coconut milk I made from dried coconut to be fresher tasting than the canned milk I had on hand. YMMV, and probably will. In addition, I think it's fun and educational to try and make a more satisfactory product.

Then sounds like you should graduate to the hard stuff...fresh coconut meat! Especially if you are mainlining the milk rather than using it as a carrier for more intense flavors...

[jsager01]

The truth is that, in many if not most recipes that call for coconut milk, especially Thai, you probably could not tell the difference between even fresh and canned coconut milk. For a great Thai curry, I would use canned coconut milk and spend my time and effort making fresh curry paste, which would make a profound difference over packaged. (I realize that nothing was said here about cooking Thai, but coconut milk and cream are found in many Thai dishes.)

can you get canned coconut milk without emulsifiers/stabilisers?

It used to be commonly available, but not so easily nowadays, in fact impossible the last time i checked at the asian grocery stores around me.

With emulsifiers/stabilisers, and as the names of these additives imply, it will be very difficult to separate the cream from the milk. This may be desirable for some other applications like in baking/pastry.

In Thai or any other coconut based curries, both the cream and milk are used separately and at different stages in the cooking and for different purposes.

The cream is first fried/sauteed, over medium heat until it 'breaks' or 'separates', then the curry paste is added and fried or sauteed, adding more cream to prevent burning and at this stage, you may find your kitchen filled with an aroma that is much more intense than if using coconut milk that had been emulsified/stabilised. YMMV.

I remember there was at least one thread about canned coconut milk on this forum, in the context of thai curry.