Fresh Raw Coconut Milk
It all started with a craving for raw Pad Thai. I haven’t made it yet, and have been wanting to for quite a while. Knowing that coconut milk is an important ingredient that I want in my Pad Thai sauce, I set out to make fresh, raw coconut milk for my raw Pad Thai raw food recipe.
I use young Thai coconuts all the time. I open them with ease (see here) and am very familiar with how to use them. Traditional coconut milk is made from mature coconuts. Something I am not familiar with at all. I bought a couple and brought them home and stared at them for days. The hairy little buggers intimidated me. In fact, they down right scared me.
I have memories, as a very little girl, of my mother trying to open a coconut. I believe there were hammers, chisels, and maybe even a car involved. Much huffing and puffing, and extreme frustration. There may have even been a few off color words from my very prim and proper mother. A frightening scenario for a little girl. Honestly, I also think there was quite a lot of laughing as each attempt failed and each following attempt got more extreme. I seem to remember the final attempt involving her 64 pontiac.
Well, here is the thing. Opening those hairy little guys is actually a piece of cake. A little research on line and I was able to pop right through the shell and dive into one of the most heavenly substances I have encountered for a while. Traditionally coconut milk is made from mature coconuts and I quickly found out why. The flesh is pure coconut heaven. Very different from the young coconuts.
To open the coconut, simply tap (ok…whack) the coconut around the midline with the back of a cleaver.
After a couple of good whacks, you will hear a crack. Keep turning and tapping and within seconds, the coconut will have split! You will want to do this over a bowl as there is water inside. Discard the water.
You can then either pry out the flesh with a table knife or my favorite, turn it over, give the outside shell a good whack with a hammer and the flesh will just pop right out (this does require breaking the shell).
Once you pop the flesh out, peel off the brown skin with a vegetable peeler. Chop up the coconut and put it in the high-speed blender. Add water, blend and then strain through a nut-milk bag or a few layers of cheese cloth.
The extra pulp can be dehydrated at 115 degrees until dry. Give it a quick spin in the blender after it is dry and you have lovely, fragrant raw coconut flour!
Raw Coconut Flour
Tips for your Coconut Milk
You can keep blending the coconut milk with more coconut flesh until you get coconut cream. Note: If your coconut milk sits in the refrigerator the fat will collect on the top. You can give it a quick spin in the blender to reincorporate it.
Fresh Raw Coconut Milk
MAKES 4 CUPS
- 1 to 4 mature coconuts (depending on how thick you want your milk)
- 3 cups water
- Remove flesh from coconut (see above)
- Place the flesh from one coconut in high-speed blender with 3 cups water and blend a few minutes.
- Strain through nut-milk bag. (Set pulp aside to dehydrate for coconut flour)
To make thicker coconut milk:
- Take coconut milk you just made and blend with second coconut in high-speed blender. Strain through nut-milk bag.
Emily wrote on April 15, 2012
Funny you make this post today. Just yesterday I opened one of these because I love using fresh coconut in many different ways. I was having trouble getting the shell off of the flesh in the inside so I just popped the whole thing in the oven (400 degrees) for just about 10 minutes — not long enough to cook it or get it too warm/dried out. When I cracked it open, though, the flesh came right off of the shell. It was SO easy!!! You have to try it!
Susan wrote on April 15, 2012
I have heard of that technique but don’t want to put it in such a hot oven. 🙂
Razia wrote on April 15, 2012
Hey thanks, you explain every step of the way so lovingly / caringly and as for the pictures well done. Anything with pictures makes it so much easier. I am looking forward to using this recipe as well as making the coconut flour.
What would I use the flour for? any suggestions please.
Superfoodie wrote on April 15, 2012
this is uh-mazing!
Dominique wrote on April 14, 2012
This looks so great. Your photographs are as fantastic as your ideas and instructions. Thanks. I can’t wait to see your raw pad thai.
Chrisy wrote on April 14, 2012
I made raw panang curry last week, it’s something I have wanted to try for quite some time, as I love curry, coconut! It was amazing, I used kelp noodles and made coconut similar to the way you have listed on your website. I have just recently began eating raw, and this dish is my favorite!
Annette wrote on April 13, 2012
Thanks for your awesome recipes they look great!
Chris wrote on April 13, 2012
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!
Faith wrote on April 13, 2012
I agree that the water is good in a mature coconut, unless it’s getting moldy.
Susan wrote on April 13, 2012
Dot…both are quite easy if you know the technique. You can see how to open a young coconut here: http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-food-all-about-young-coconuts/ Cheers!