Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

[Ron Whitfield]

I love it with nearly everything, so I have to strain to use it sparingly, but I must have it on my oatmeal or french/FREEDOM toast in the mornings.

What creative ways do you use it?

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Of course we must mention Squid Luau, Haupia and Kulolo. Then there's the Samoan version of laulau called Palusami.

In Tahiti, they have a version of Poke (raw, diced fish) that incorporates coconut milk and lime juice. Good stuff.

As for brands, I like the canned Hawaiian Sun product. Of course, there's also a few brands imported from Thailand. Mmmm. Now I'm hungry for some Thai food!

[scrivener]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

I've used it when I've made my (mostly) nonfat pumpkin pie frozen yogurt. I didn't notice much of a taste difference compared to using just regular evaporated milk, though.

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

I've used it when I've made my (mostly) nonfat pumpkin pie frozen yogurt. I didn't notice much of a taste difference compared to using just regular evaporated milk, though.

I think the brand is critical. I've tried some cheaper Thai coconut milk products that were quite bland. The Hawaiian Sun brand in the can is the best, IMO.

Here...



Check out these two recipes on the back of this can. They both sound really ono!...

Curried Fish in Coconut
2 onions, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
2 potatoes, diced
2 tbsp. curry powder
2 cups fish, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups Hawaiian Sun coconut milk
salt and pepper

Saute onions in melted butter without browning. Add potatoes, curry powder and seasonings. Cook a few minutes longer. Add fish and coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with rice.

Chicken in Coconut Milk
1 lb. chicken, cooked, skinned and boned and cut into bite size pieces.
1 can Hawaiian Sun coconut milk
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small finger ginger, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. rubbed basil
1 tsp. coriander powder

Heat the oil in a pre-heated saucepan or wok, then lightly brown the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the other spices and coconut milk, then bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer gently, stirring all the while for 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

---------------

If I had all the ingredients, I'd make it right now! Too lazy to drive to the store though. Instead, I'm gonna' sit here and annoy ya' all here at HT.

[tutusue]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Coconut shrimp...from the old Tahitian Lanai. Waaaaah...I miss that place.

[Jim75]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

I love coconut milk and curry with fish or chicken.

Last time I was on Oahu, we stopped at a roadside stand somewhere between Haleiwa and Kahaluu. This little white haired lady had a variety of tropical fruits and coconuts. She had a tub of iced young coconuts and she would chop the top off with a cleaver. She was bold with that cleaver, but accurate too. Oh man, that was so good!

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Our Tokelau neighbors whip up a quick snack by breaking up a very hard soda cracker, they buy at Samoan stores very similar to hard tack, and cook it up in a pot of coconut milk. Comes out kinda like a pudding. They also cook ulu in coconut milk. In fact, most of their "traditional" dishes contain coconut milk.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Pomai, thank you for submitting the recipes! I'll be trying them asap.

[scrivener]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

She had a tub of iced young coconuts and she would chop the top off with a cleaver. She was bold with that cleaver, but accurate too. Oh man, that was so good!

You probably know this already, but in case there are people out there who don't: Coconut milk is not the liquid contained in a coconut. That's coconut water or coconut juice. Coconut milk is usually (I say usually because I'm not totally sure of the varieties) milk that's cooked with coconut flesh in it and then strained.

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Coconut shrimp...from the old Tahitian Lanai. Waaaaah...I miss that place.

Most "Coconut Shrimp" appetizers I've seen are made using the shredded coconut meat (not milk) as a crust, then deep-fried. Was Tahitian Lanai's version made in some kind of Coconut milk-based sauce?

What's funny is coconut, like pineapple or anything else tropical, is another one of those "Hawaiian sounding" foods. Add "Coconut" and suddenly it's "Hawaiian".

But alas, I didn't notice it until reading that label carefully, that Hawaiian Sun Coconut Milk I posted earlier is made where? Thailand. Go figure.

Alton Brown (Good Eats - Food Network) did an episode dedicated to the subject, which was portrayed as a parody to the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks. Since a coconut naturally has a "smiling face" on it, it was the perfect substitute to Hanks' lonesome volleyball buddy, "Wilson". What's cool is the show was taped here on Oahu at Haleiwa beach park.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

You probably know this already, but in case there are people out there who don't: Coconut milk is not the liquid contained in a coconut. That's coconut water or coconut juice. Coconut milk is usually (I say usually because I'm not totally sure of the varieties) milk that's cooked with coconut flesh in it and then strained.

I was wondering: How do you milk a coconut?

But if you do crack open a coconut and the water is milky, chances are that coconut is rotten already. The water within is almost clear and very sweet. The meat should be spoonable but somewhat firm. I had three Samoan coconut trees in my backyard in Honolulu when I was a kid and would come home everyday after school, go in the backyard and tear into a coconut off the tree, giving the water to my dog and spoon out the white meat.

After several years of doing that, my dog got fat and I got sick of coconuts. To this day I can't stand coconut flavor on anything but in my curry.

[tutusue]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Most "Coconut Shrimp" appetizers I've seen are made using the shredded coconut meat (not milk) as a crust, then deep-fried. Was Tahitian Lanai's version made in some kind of Coconut milk-based sauce?[...]

I remember it as a coconut milk based sauce. I don't like shredded coconut at all so would've been unhappy with a "crust". Then, again, I loved being at the Tahitian Lanai so much I probably would've eaten anything! Seriously, I do remember the sauce!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

I remember it as a coconut milk based sauce. I don't like shredded coconut at all so would've been unhappy with a "crust". Then, again, I loved being at the Tahitian Lanai so much I probably would've eaten anything! Seriously, I do remember the sauce!

Oh yeah the Tahitian Lanai. Talk about a Tikibar complete with asphalt floor right next to an ABC Discount store. As cheesy as it got, I miss that place too

[Pomai]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

Coconut shrimp...from the old Tahitian Lanai. Waaaaah...I miss that place.

I was just poking around looking up information about Tahitian Lanai, when I came across this ono-sounding recipe from there that also uses coconut milk...

Moa Ta Haari Chicken
1-3/4 cups milk
1-3/4 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 whole cloves
1 tablespoon chicken base (see note)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon salt and white pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
18 ounces cooked, diced chicken
1/4 cup hollandaise sauce (recipe follows)

Combine milk, coconut milk, celery, onion, cloves and chicken base in saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until boiling. Add zest, salt and pepper.

Dissolve cornstarch in small amount of cold water to make a paste. Add to saucepan. Cook 10 minutes.

Strain and add chicken. Serve with each portion garnished with hollandaise sauce.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (not including hollandaise): 520 calories, 34 g total fat, 24 g saturated fat, 125 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,000 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 43 g protein.

Note: Chicken base is a paste sold in the soup aisle of supermarkets, near the chicken bouillon.

Hollandaise Sauce
5 egg yolks
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
16 ounces warm clarified butter (see note)

To make sauce: Place all ingredients except butter in top of a double boiler. Water should be hot, but not boiling. Heat gently and whisk slowly for 2 minutes. Whisk in clarified butter, a little at a time. Continue stirring 8 to 9 minutes, until thick. Keep warm.

Note: Clarified butter is melted butter that has been strained to remove all solids.

Wow, coconut milk-flavored chicken with Hollandaise sauce on it? Sounds good good to me! I might try also adding Lup Cheong.

Also see the Boneless Chicken Kama'aina in that link.

Ron, have you attempted making any of the recipes suggested here (or anywhere) using coconut milk recently? I'm curious how they came out.

I just bought a new bottle of curry powder, so I'm looking for some Thai style coconut curry ideas. Not an exotic curry powder. Just your typical McCormick stuff, but it should works.

[Jim75]

Re: Coconut milk - what do you use it on/with/for?

You probably know this already, but in case there are people out there who don't: Coconut milk is not the liquid contained in a coconut. That's coconut water or coconut juice. Coconut milk is usually (I say usually because I'm not totally sure of the varieties) milk that's cooked with coconut flesh in it and then strained.

Cool. I didn't know.

After several years of doing that, my dog got fat and I got sick of coconuts.

lol

I don't like shredded coconut at all so would've been unhappy with a "crust".

I don't like shredded coconut either, but I always liked Almond Joy candy bars.