Coconut Milk

[Suvir Saran]

What brand do you use?

Do you ever make it from dessicated coconut?

What recipes do you use it in?

Where are these recipes from?

[wingding]

I love cooking with coconut milk,but don't use it as often as I'd like,because of the fat content.Cha-Koah,from Thailand,is my brand of choice.I use it when making southern Indian fish stews.One of my favorite summer treats is halo-halo,a southeast asian drink/dessert made with shaved ice,coconut milk,condensed milk,and little bits of beans,jello,and who knows what else...I use dessicated coconut when making ice cream;roast the coconut a bit,and infuse milk/cream with it.

[mamster]

I'm also partial to Chaokoh (careful of the spelling--there are a lot of knockoff brands, some of which are OK and some really lousy). The couple of times I've had freshly made coconut milk in the U.S., it was a lot of work and the result was no better than canned.

I most often use it in Thai curries, but the Indian influence on these is obvious: coconut milk, tamarind, garlic, chiles, and so on.

[Jaymes]

For my chicken curry, I scald whole milk, or cream, with dessicated coconut which then I discard, using only the milk.

[Aurora]

I use coconut milk in my recipes for rice pudding and sweet potato pie. These are family recipes handed down by my great-grandmother. She did not use coconut milk, but I think the addition (substitution) gives both recipes a nice richness.

[Suvir Saran]

Aurora,

Do you mind sharing your Grandmas rice pudding recipe with all of us? It certainly sounds wonderful.

[Jaymes]

Yes Aurora, I second that request.

[Toby]

I use Chaokoh brand also for Thai and Laotian curries. Lately, I've been cooking a lot of curries from the Caribbean islands and Guyana, which I'm sure were influenced by the Indian populations who settled in the region. I make Jamaican curry goat and curry chicken. One of my students is Indian from Guyana and she made a shrimp, potato and green bean curry with coconut milk for a party that was extremely dark and spicy tasting.

What kind of a utensil is used in India to raw fresh coconuts? My Laotian friends had a device called a ka-tai or "rabbit" -- it looked something like a skateboard with 2 legs underneath. You sat on one end and grated the coconut half over the other end, which was sharp and projected out from the end of the board.

[Jaymes]

What kind of a utensil is used in India to raw fresh coconuts?  My Laotian friends had a device called a ka-tai or "rabbit" -- it looked something like a skateboard with 2 legs underneath.  You sat on one end and grated the coconut half over the other end, which was sharp and projected out from the end of the board.

The Filipinos have a similar tool. It's a metal rod about eight to ten inches long, hammered flat with one end hammered out into a circular shape with an edge of jagged "teeth." The other end has two holes for you to screw or nail the thing to a board. You put the board into a chair and then sit on it, with the "teeth" part sticking out between your legs.

Then you hold the coconut half between your hands and scrape it along the teeth.

It's a real "mental picture," ain't it?

[Suvir Saran]

We have 3-4 different appliances (?) used for this. Both the things described above fit in. Toby what you describe is what I have used in India. Indian stores also have a appliance that gets attached to a table or board and has rotating teeth that work very well.

[polly]

I use coconut milk in heaps of things:

curries of all sorts, indian and thai being favourites

Basmati rice cooked in diluted CM with a little salt

rice pudding

Sauces

and although i don't make them, I love drinks with CM like dau do bahn lot, or 'three colour drink.

I always go for thai CM when buying cans.

[Bux]

Just to interject a non Indian and non Asian note into the use of coconut milk, Esilda's (Mrs. B.) recipe for Budin de Coco (Coconut Bread Pudding) calls for Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez brand) but since it's not always available, she's worked out a recipe that uses coconut milk instead. There is some adjustment in the amount of milk and sugar in the recipe to compensate.

[Suvir Saran]

And could we get Mrs. B's recipe for the pudding Mr. B?

It sounds lovely.

And by the way Mr. B. Indians have adopted several puddings into their repertoire. This could well become one of those desserts.

[Bux]

I'm a bit perplexed. I could swear I posted this recipe yesterday, but I don't see it. I'm annoyed as well as I had made some adjustments and comments that I don't think I saved elsewhere. I promise I will get a version of the recipe up soon.

In the meantime, for those who are interested in French food there been an interesting recipe posted in the French board. It's in the Roellinger thread and has cococnut milk and curry powder, but seems more of a French recipe than a fusion recipe.

[Suvir Saran]

Looking forward to the recipe Bux. Sorry it was lost in cyberspace.

I cannot wait to try the recipe.

Thanks for your efforts and thanks also to Mrs. B.

[Sandra Levine]

Yes Aurora, I second that request. 

Aurora?

[Bux]

There are several versions of this recipe floating around in our files and each is marked with revisions and question marks. The following recipe should work, but it's hard to accurately say how much bread my wife uses. It is important to use a good artisan made loaf with body and a good crust. Do not use a squishy supermarket French bread.

Budin de Coco

Puerto Rican-Style Coconut Bread Pudding

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

If using coconut milk:

1 (14-oz.) can coconut milk (usually from Thailand, available in most supermarkets and in Chinatown)

4 1/2 cups whole milk

or

If using cream of coconut:

1 (16-oz) can Coco Lopez brand Cream of Coconut (available at your local bodega)

4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 (1-pound) loaf French bread, stale

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, whisk together he eggs, sugar and salt until pale in color, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the liquids and vanilla.

Cut or tear the bread into small (about 2-inch) chunks. Add the bread to the bowl, stir well, cover and set aside at room temperature until the bread has soaked up all of the liquid. Be sure the bread has absorbed all the liquid it can.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Butter a 9-inch x 12-inch ovenproof pan with sides at least 2 inches high. (A Pyrex baking dish works well.)

Pour the butter into the bowl and stir to combine. Transfer the bread mixture to the pan. (Do not fill the pan all the way to the top as the mixture will rise as it bakes and then deflate as it cools.) Put the pan on a rimmed cookie sheet or baking pan (to catch any drips) and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until a knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean and the top is nicely browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. The pudding can be served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Keeping: Once cool, the pudding can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

[Bux]

Postscript to the bread pudding recipe:

This is a very homespun simple dish that really works for large gatherings and informal get togethers as well as family meals. You could add raisins soaked in rum, if your tastes run that way. We often serve this with fresh pineapple. It's a sweet pudding and the tart fresh pineapple is a good foil when in season.

[Sandra Levine]

It sounds delicious, Bux.

I use coconut milk to make a simple rice pudding using the leftover basmati rice from take-out Indian food. (I think I've posted about this on another thread.)

[Aurora]

Aurora,

Do you mind sharing your Grandmas rice pudding recipe with all of us?  It certainly sounds wonderful.

QUOTE (Jaymes @ Jul 11 2002, 01:09 PM)

Yes Aurora, I second that request.  

Aurora?

Suvir, Jaymes and Sandra - Forgive me for taking so long to get back to you. I was looking forward to putting my feet up this weekend, but it was not to be. I was called out of town unexpectedly, and didn't get a single opportunity to relax, but I'm back, and all is well.

I do not recall a time when I saw my grandmother (great-grandmother) use measuring cups and spoons. It was always a handful of this, a scoop of that, etc. Though I am a little more exacting than she was, I prepare this recipe in a similar fashion. I have included measurements, but I strongly encourage experiment. I tried arborio rice--don't do it. I've also used rum, port, orange zest instead of lemon zest (the recipe for the sauce was changed accordingly), dates--I like to play with it. Rice pudding is very forgiving and open to interpretation. This is the standard recipe with a few alterations (carmelization of the sugar, coconut milk, heavy cream, egg yolk, vanilla bean, ground nutmeg, lemon zest). The changes add richness and intensity of flavor while staying true to the original recipe. I don't mention alterations to family members. They're purists, and I don't want the guff. It's all Grandma with a little me mixed in.

Some recipes for rice pudding use freshly made rice or leftover rice--grandma always used leftover rice. It's baked. The end result is custardy; more like a brulee. Any long-grain rice works well as long as it is not converted. Basmati rice is excellent. Typically, it is served with a lemon sauce.

Here is the recipe:

1 c. sugar

2.5 c. coconut milk

1.5 c. heavy cream

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

One-third c. golden raisins or dried currants

1 vanilla bean

3 c. cooked long-grain rice (not converted)

One-forth tsp. cinnamon

freshly ground nutmeg

1 tsp. lemon zest

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Butter 6 - 6oz. ramekins.

In a 2-quart saucepan over medium to low heat, cook the sugar to a light caramel stage (light golden in color, approximately 315-320 degrees). Add the coconut milk and the heavy cream to the caramelized sugar stirring until the mixture is smooth. Continue to heat over medium to low heat and stir occasionally.

In another bowl, wisk together the eggs and the egg yolks. Continue to wisk and slowly pour one-third c. of the sugar and cream mixture into the eggs (don't cook the eggs). Pour the egg mixture into the sugar and cream mixture. Blend completely and allow to cook and slightly thicken.

In another pan over medium heat, cook the raisins in the brandy until most of the liquor is absorbed. Remove from heat.

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds from both halves and add to the cream mixture along with the rice, raisins (with remaining liquid), cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins in a bain-marie that has been set up in a 9" x 13" glass pan (I place a shallow rack in the bottom of the pan. I get the best results if I pour in boiling, rather than cold water). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center is removed cleanly. Remove the ramekins and allow them to cool on a rack until the custard is set.

WHITE WINE LEMON SAUCE

1 c. sugar

Juice of 2 lemons

Grated zest of 1 lemon

one-half c. water

one-half c. white wine

4 egg yolks

4 tbs. unsalted butter (half stick) cut into pieces

In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the first four ingredients and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens. Add wine and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

As the sauce simmers, wisk the egg yolks until smooth. Add 3 tbs. of the lemon mixture and mix until thoroughly blended. Add the eggs to the lemon mixture and mix completely. Add the butter to the sauce and stir until the butter is melted and completely incorporated. Allow to cool. The sauce will keep for several days, serve warm.

I have served the rice pudding warm or at room temperature.

[Sandra Levine]

Thanks, Aurora. This one's a keeper.