Homemade Coconut Milk (Always Order Dessert), The way I am familiar with, coconut milk is made by blending water, not coconut water, with the meat and then straining it. (Seriously, I had to wail on the one that I used for this tutorial. Amazing how it can bounce but it does eventually crack. We are going to stay on a island where we can eat as many coconuts as we want for free. Grate the coconut meat, then soak in hot water. I have made coco cream many times. And then it took us about an hour to get the coconut meat free from the shell. Hold the coconut in one hand with the eyes and the “tail” (pointy part) of the coconut on either sides of your hand. The coconut is ready when the meat has slightly pulled away from the shell. Likely is that people just tossed the water since a big majority of the flavor is where the coconut meat is. Virgin coconut oil is best but if you don’t like the taste you can use expeller pressed coconut oil instead. 1.Drain the coconut water by poking holes through the ‘eyes’ and tilt the coconut water into a glass. Drinking French Bar Boxes from Slope Cellars and K & L Wine Merchants, http://che-cheh.com/food/chinese-new-year-cookies-kuih-kapit-aka-love-letter/, http://vegetarian.about.com/od/cookingtipstools/ss/youngcoconut.htm. But it’s never thrown away, as others pointed out. Toastpeeled strips of coconut in a dry skillet over low heat until brownedand fragrant, about 10 minutes. How to Make Coconut Butter. There are a number of devices, including wooden boards with jagged teeth and rotary devices that might be worth it if you are doing a lot of coconut. Collect dried branches or dried coconut leaves and make fire. Bake the coconut halves on a cookie sheet for 10-20 minutes to loosen the coconut meat from the shell. Reply, I passed on fresh coconut last week at the asian market, because I thought it would just lie there on the counter. Its quite fun but we have to sit on the wood to scrape. Trust me, if you had, you’d know. I just made a German Sweet Chocolate cake and the toasted fresh coconut will be a nice garnish. FYI, the cream also makes a killer dairy-free whipped cream! By N. Hoff. Turn the coconut upside down over a container and drain the water from the coconut. Is there a reason for that? Yes, I’ve had young coconuts and they’re great! Thanks for that great tip. If you love coconut and want a fun challenge give this coconut-cracking method a try. I have the first wooden board for scraping. The difference between coconut cream pie and coconut custard pie comes down to how the filling is prepared. You can use a tortoise shell also for boiling the mix. A muslin cloth works too. Coconut custard pie is cooked in the oven. Oatmeal made with coconut, raisins, cranberries, walnuts. It’s an issue in India’s warm climate. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Coconut rice makes a terrific accompaniment to many Thai and Indian dishes, but it's equally wonderful with nearly any Western-style entrée. Healthy Coconut Oatmeal Rating: Unrated 73 A fast and healthy breakfast cereal or high-energy snack. Make sure the liquid inside hasn’t gone bad. Kinda like cheese and fungus :) As to why use tap water instead of that water..perhaps cos the flavour of coconut water will change the flavour of the milk ? Have you ever tasted a bad coconut? Thanks. To open the coconut, use the dull backside of a cleaver (make sure the sharp blade end is not facing the coconut, and that you are hitting the coconut with the back of the cleaver) and hold the coconut over a bowl. Pork chops marinated in coconut water, lemongrass (or lemon zest), some sugar, fish sauce and garlic are delectable and very tender. But we brainstormed and came to the conclusion that adding coconut water will probably ferment the mixture. A few years ago Kevin and my (then) 8-year-old brother decided it would be a fun adventure to buy a coconut, crack it open, and eat it. The coconut milk may boil up. Thinner strips will toast more quickly than thicker ones. Reply, Some people use electric drills but drill bits get kind of icky and not sure I, or others, want to drink liquid that passed through a drilled hole. I need a better knife. Many thanks. Making coconut butter couldn’t be easier. Thank you for this! Before breaking them open we would pierce at least two of those three “eyes” that are at one end with an ice-pick and drain out the coconut water. To toast the coconut, spread the shredded coconut on an unlined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 12 – 18 minutes, stirring a few times while it’s cooking, so it toasts evenly. You could also use a nail and hammer it in, I guess. Line a large fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. I checked with the MIL..She says its always done with water and so thats how they do it. Place the water in a saucepan and put it on a burner. It seems there are different methods. Very primitive and fun!! But who has ice-picks in this day and age? I prefer young water but mature water is good too, just a bit nuttier tasting. Here, our favorite recipes starring the versatile coconut. :), Here’s a sneak peak on how we make coconut milk the traditional way for a yummy Chinese new year cookie: http://che-cheh.com/food/chinese-new-year-cookies-kuih-kapit-aka-love-letter/ Reply, A note for the unwary: coconut milk (or water) stains terribly, as my husband found out with his favorite T shirt. Jyoti: Thanks! Reply, Great post. Keep the milk-filled utensil over the fire. They are green coconuts though and we won’t have cleavers and hammers so we cannot apply your methods. Drain off the coconut milk and use it like milk in cooking or to cover grated coconut for freezing. I’m African and have seen my fair share of coconuts beings cracked but it was never roasted. To get coconut milk, mix water with grated coconut. Method One Using Dried Coconut. Brown rice can be used in place of oatmeal. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan till the sugar … Reply. All you need is a bag of dried shredded coconut or coconut flakes and a food processor or blender.. Place coconut shreds or flakes in a food processor or high powdered blender and process until a smooth, runny butter forms. Double trouble: Shredded … The coconut is ready when the meat has slightly pulled away from the shell. The first step is coconut cream, where the process is the same as coconut milk. The top of that coconut flesh can be cut off and if the smell hasn’t permeated the bottom layers, that coconut is also good to use. Basically the water is an electrolyte-rich treat to reward yourself with after the work of opening the nut. You make fresh coconut cream and milk! Once the coconut splits, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Rinse the coconut and wipe dry with a paper towel. If it takes a significant amount of effort, try baking it a little longer. Use a screwdriver and meat mallet and hammer holes into 2 of the eyes. If it takes a significant amount of effort, try baking it a little longer. To make coconut oil, put the milk to boil. Flash forward 6 years: We’ve found a more effective way to crack and prepare a coconut. Strain and you got coconut milk. My in-laws are from Kerala and we have a HUGE room outside the main building , just for coconuts. We just grate the coconut meat and squeeze it in a white cloth. I cook with fresh coconuts often, so usually, I strain and freeze it until I have enough. Return to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until thickened. Peel off the inner husk (the brown part) with a vegetable peeler. Use a wooden stick … Then, using either a vegetable … Breakfast. Subscribe and receive David's free guide to the best pastry shops in Paris, Holiday Gift Idea! (Like mine did.) We crack the coconut, and then drink the water right away. I clicked pictures of him,just cos I was so fascinated. Stir about one-fourth of hot milk mixture gradually into egg; add egg mixture to remaining hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Pry the two sides apart and drain the liquid in the bowl. Weird. Tap the coconut firmly down the equator with the back of the cleaver, turning the coconut several times as you rap, until you hear (and see) it crack open. Drain The Coconut – Invert the coconut over a glass bowl or measuring cup and drain the coconut … Unlike most unsaturated oils, coconut oil … If you have a sharp enough cleaver, you can easily hack away at the top of the coconut so you can either stick a straw in, drain out the water, and scrape out the meat with a spoon. You can eat the meat as is or use a vegetable peeler to create shredded coconut. Store the water in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Delicious on a hot day. An angelic neighbor made it one year and it made a deep impression on me as an American child of the suburbs in the 70’s. The best part? But since I only crack one coconut open every few months or so, I don’t know if I want to give valuable cabinet space to something I would only use occasionally. In a large bowl, combine shredded coconut with 4 cups of hot (not boiling) water. But so will the flesh. Dried coconut here has a strong soapy smell when baking, very discouraging, but it tastes just fine. Coconut Milk from Desiccated Coconut. Reply, Thanks for this tutorial. Bliss! It should smell sweet without smelling sour. I may just buy one this weekend. First, it’s helpful to heat up the entire coconut so the meat will loosen … But now it sounds tempting! 2. The first pressing of the coconut meat is coconut cream or what we call in Filipino “kakang gata”. Peel off the inner husk (the brown part) with a vegetable peeler. Wrap the coconut … To do this, you can use a hammer … Always wear an old shirt, or apron that covers any fabric you care about! The eyes should not be too soft. Reply, I just ate fresh coconut – an entire half of one – on its own recently and was obsessed. Coconut water from mature coconuts is thrown away. Seems a shame to throw it away. That’s interesting because coconut water is generally sterile, until you open the coconut. Some folks like the remove the fibers from the outside of the coconut before cracking it, which you may wish to do over a sink as it’s somewhat messy. Before you buy your coconut, shake it. Desiccated coconut tends to be finer in size than shredded … Would be interesting to know the answer on why folks don’t use the coconut water. This means the coconut is over-ripe. But I have been informed there is a ‘coconut opening station’. I always struggled to get the meat out, picking at it until my hands ached. Drain the coconut milk into a cup. I would then take it to our little cabin and pry out all the fresh coconut to eat- very yummy!! Begin by peeling the brown skin off of the coconut using a vegetable peeler (you can still eat this or add to oatmeal, smoothies, etc) and rinsing the white meat. Directions for opening young coconuts here: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/cookingtipstools/ss/youngcoconut.htm Reply, Coconut water has a pronounced laxative effect…. In Malaysia where I live, we drink the coconut water. While most coconuts are deliciously sweet, some can have a bit of a soapy aftertaste. Lots of coconut and sugar make these cookies chewy and delicious. It’s a diuretic and has a cooling effect. (I’ve seen people here do this with a machete), @David: The mature coconut water is usually thrown away because the taste has gone off by then; no longer sweet and delicious. Reply, Great explanation on cracking coconuts. Drink the water..don’t throw it away.. Also, if you ever get a chance, try eating the inside flesh of a tender coconut..In Bombay,where I come from, we use the top of that tender coconut as a spoon to scoop this flesh and eat it right at the roadside! Heat the coconut in the oven. Reply, I am guessing it is because coconut water from mature coconut does not taste particularly pleasant. I still vividly remember my first taste of the classic southern style coconut layer cake made with finely shredded fresh, moist coconut and whipped cream. The coconut should be relatively heavy for its size. Reply, That’s an old (mature) coconut. These are called eyes. So not sure how it would cause the coconut milk to ferment any faster than water. The rest of the eyes are optional. It doesn’t leave your stovetop a greasy mess! If you don’t want to use a cleaver, wrap the coconut in a towel – one you don’t mind getting wet – and use a hammer to break it open. Place the coconut and water in a blender and blend for 5 minutes. We didn’t drain the milk beforehand and our preferred method of coconut cracking was whacking it with a metal rod. Boiling the Coconut Heat 4 cups of water. Had the privilege of visiting Hawaii for the first time last year and one of my favorite things was the ice cold coconuts on the road side that one could buy and they would pop a straw into it and you would drink up all the yummy water inside. https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/coconut-burfi-recipe-coconut-barfi Reply, I love coconuts. Reply, I usually pierce one of the eyes with a corkscrew and then drain the water into a glass (which I greedily drink). And there you have it. The color should be a little translucent but mostly clear. That way there’s no chance of losing what, to me, was the best part of the coconut when cracking it open. You can usually find fresh coconuts in stores that cater to Indian, Mexican, and Asian cooks, as well as well-stocked supermarkets. so tread easy! I’ve cracked more than my fair share of fresh coconuts, and tried a number of ways to open them, including doing as the monkeys do and lifting them high above my head and crashing them to the ground. Maybe this applies to coconuts as well? Would you happen to know roughly how much coconut by weight is in a single shell roughly, or perhaps it varies greatly? Then squeeze all the juices out. Some coconuts take more effort than others. Jonathan Lovekin / bonappetit.com. Let the mixture sit until the coconut softens and the water has cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes. In some places they drink the juice of young coconuts. It worked, but needless to say it was a messy project. (Hint: It seems to peel easier when the husk is damp. Put the coconut halves on a shelf in a preheated 400ºF (200ºC) for 20 minutes, which will help separated the meat from the shell. Even if it did taste pleasant like coconut water from young coconut, adding it to desiccated coconut would affect the taste. So there you may throw the water away. You may want to hold the lid of the blender with a kitchen towel to prevent spills and burns. I don’t think it goes “bad” when it’s turned sour, sort of like raw milk doesn’t go “bad”, it just changes form due to the flora present, but coconut water doesn’t taste very good once fermentation has begun. Coconut cream pie filling is prepared on the stovetop and poured into a fully baked crust. (This will help shrink the flesh from the shell). Get a cheese cloth / strainer and squeeze the soaked grated coconut meat. The ones are in Malaysia are quite different! Wrap it in a thin cotton cloth or use a … Makes me think of the process of making vege stock where veges are chucked away because all the flavour/nutrients has gone into the water. They would use a massive machete to whack off the top. While coconut milk is best known for its contribution to savory dishes, it can also be a … Repeat process to get coconut milk. Reply, Not sure why one would you throw away the coconut water from mature coconuts, and use tap water. If you’d like to use the milk, strain it with a fine strainer. Take a vegetable peeler and remove the skin of the meat, then grate or grind the coconut meat, as you wish. Turn the coconut … Reply, we figured out by crazy trial and error how to get into coconuts, but to get it out-we were still using crazy, hacking methodologies so thanks for this! Place a butter knife or spoon in between the shell and the meat and pry the meat from the shell. Then one of the children usually goes outside and has fun dropping it on the floor. Reply, I’ve just followed the instructions above and they work perfectly! Now we don’t throw away anything, so we always drink water from the mature coconut. I’m not going to toast the flesh, but freeze the shreds. And usually an old,lean guy comes to manually ( its a cool looking apparatus ) take off the top of young coconuts and reveal the brown one inside which is then stored and used to months!! Reply. All you need to do is combine four teaspoons of sugar with 1/4 cups of water per 1 cup of coconut that you want to sweeten. (It can be strained and enjoyed as a beverage.). Using a sharp knife or corkscrew pierce the eyes of the coconut. Reply. Reply, When I was a kid growing up in Texas we used to get lots of coconuts. Add water to the same coconut and that gives you milk. Coconut water is the best! It’s all so easy and not any effort whatsoever. Making coconut bacon is so easy. Sometimes, when your not lucky you get a rancid type of coconut and there even the water will taste funny. In Tahiti, we use everything but the shell. Egg Carton Chick and Bunny Candy Holders for Easter, Cinnamon Apple Pie {With a Lattice Crust}, Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts: A Delicious Two-Ingredient Appetizer, 4-Ingredient Orange Sauce Recipe for Duck, Goose, or Chicken, Whole coconut (obviously) – found at many grocery stores, Electric drill or Phillips-head screwdriver. You can drink the coconut milk or using it for baking. So in a way the first pressed,dense product is cream. You make fresh coconut cream and milk! Freeze in flat, sandwich sized ziplocks or ice cube trays for up to 6 months. To prep the coconut flakes, simply toss them in a bowl with liquid aminos, liquid smoke, maple syrup and paprika. The pie is then chilled for several hours to allow the filling to set. Water+mature coconut. Get a cheese cloth / strainer and squeeze the soaked grated coconut meat. Pour everything through the cheesecloth. Juice = coconut milk. Coco water spoils within a day or two, even refrigerated, and that’s why it’s not used to make cream. For decoration, you can take a vegetable peeler and make thin strips, or grate the coconut with a metal grater into shreds. Reply, It’s nice to see someone posting about how to prepare a coconut :) Don’t discard the coconut water. Reply, Oooh, those look like the coconuts on TV! I think it stays sweet only about one day so I’d advise to drink it as soon after opening as you can. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place a folded towel in the bottom of a large bowl and set the coconut on top of it. There are three circular indentations on a coconut. Sprinkle coconut strips over oatmeal … This is how we make coconut milk. Thanks for always making this blog a space that covers the entire planet! Reply, Its ok not to roast it. (Note that the liquid isn’t coconut milk, as some believe; it’s coconut water. The soft, nutty taste works well in so many different contexts, from desserts to savory dishes. They are harder to find but I like them a lot : ) Reply. Open Coconut – Find the 3 eyes of the coconut at the stem of the coconut. Quick and easy to make, this vegan coconut rice recipe will come in handy for those times when you want to make dinner extra special without a lot of extra work. Make sure to only use refined coconut oil that has not been processed with chemical solvents. I blend mine in a high speed blender (vitamix) with enough water to barely cover and strain through a nylon nut milk bag. Reply. If you’ve got a good slow-style juicer, you can run the meat through to get an excellent rich cream without adding any liquid. Which I don’t recommend, unless you aren’t wearing pants (like monkeys do) because your pants will get all wet. But not a lot of water and then extracted using a muslin cloth. It was a fun adventure, but it was also a disaster. Also make sure there is no mold on the outside, where the eyes are. If it sounds like there is a lot of milk, that is a good sign. Get recipes and blog posts sent right to your Inbox! I’ve tried several methods of opening coconuts, but this is the best (I figured this out after stabbing myself with an ice pick a couple times). shred or cut in small pieces and blend in a blender with water for a few minutes. I did edit the post to reflect that people use water rather than coconut water. It should never taste “off”. Sometimes you don’t see the stain until after the item is washed. In baking, I tend to use dried coconut (also called desiccated coconut) for cookies and infusing in custards and so forth, as it tends to have a more concentrated flavor than the fresh and less moisture, which can alter a recipe. Add coconut, water, salt, and a teaspoon or two of maple syrup, vanilla extract, or other flavors (if using) to a high-speed blender. Remove from heat; stir in coconut … If you want shredded coconut, run the vegetable peeler along the rim of the coconut to create shreds. When the coconut halves are cool, use a flat-head screwdriver wedged in between the meat and shell to pry them apart. The water I am planning to add to some home made cherry syrup to make a drink for a birthday party tomorrow — also an experiment. The first pressing of the coconut meat is coconut cream or what we call in Filipino “kakang gata”. You’ll want to pick a coconut without any cracks. This will take a while for all the water to evaporate leaving pure oil and the solids we call custard. Use your drill or screwdriver to puncture holes in at least one of the eyes. How to Make Coconut Bacon. The liquid byproduct of the subsequent pressing is coconut milk :) Reply, I observed that the coconut water does sour quite quickly, even if kept in the refrigerator. Place a whole mature coconut in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 15 minutes. It’s been years since I had fresh coconut. Reply, By far the best tutorial, both textually and visually, on opening a coconut then preparing the meat that I have ever read. Then dehydrate the pulp and use that too. Never put it in the oven – I just lever bits out with a knife usually. Then, split the coconut in half, scoop out the flesh and grate it. Then you must split your coconut in half to get your white meat. You can use it to marinate meat or chicken. Reply, That was so helpful. How to Make How to prepare fresh coconut. How To Store Coconut Oil. Run the coconut under water or use a wet paper towel to moisten the husk.). Like it will freeze well, but it was a fun challenge give this coconut-cracking a. Ve never tried, and even cocktails and was obsessed fun but we brainstormed and to... Also use a nail to punch holes in at least one of the meat. In a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 15 minutes makes a killer whipped! For up to a boil, and using a fresh coconut was the... Turn the coconut in a large bowl, combine shredded coconut with 4 of... Will be one eye that is a good sign to say it was also disaster. 5 minutes the meat from the coconut milk and use it to marinate meat or chicken in water... Fun adventure, but not a lot of milk, that ’ s hoping your first coconut-cracking is. 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