How to Extract Coconut Milk from Fresh Coconut | dietplan-101.com
Coconut milk is a very common ingredient in Asian recipes. You can easily extract coconut milk from fresh matured coconut without using any special equipment. It is often used as a dairy milk alternative for people who follow Paleo Diet, are Vegan, or have lactose intolerance (allergic to dairy milk).
Coconut milk is extracted from the meat of the matured brown coconut. Water from mature coconut has a slightly sour and oily taste compared to young coconut water. The water doesn’t taste as good as young coconut. However, you may still collect and consume it, why waste?
The Easiest Way to Crack Open Coconut and Extract the Milk
- Split the coconut into half using a hammer or the back of a heavy knife (blunt edge). Tap hard around the equator while rotating the coconut in your palm. The crack will appear around the equator/perimeter of the coconut. Continue until the coconut split opens (watch the video above).
- Remove flesh from the shells using a spoon. Pry between coconut shell and meat. The meat will pop right out.
- Cut the meat into small pieces. Pour 1 cup of hot or boiling water and process the coconut meat using a blender. Pulse on high until the mixture is fully combined and smooth. (about 4-5 minutes)
- Strain the coconut milk using a cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or fine mesh strainer to remove solid pieces. Use cheesecloth or nut milk bag to squeeze out the fresh coconut milk as much as possible.
- Refrigerate the coconut milk immediately until you are ready to use it. Coconut fat will separate and rise to the top in the fridge, shake well before use.