coconut milk

[princessofgeeks]

I am interested in learning some new recipes that use coconut milk but not curry. The SO can't tolerate curry, but we all love coconut milk. Vegetarian or meat recipes are all welcome.

Comments

[acelightning]

I like the taste of coconut, but I hate the Brillo-pad texture of flaked coconut in foods.

A couple of quick sweet things. First, combine a can of coconut creme, not milk (make sure to scrape all the white goo out of the can - that's part coconut oil and part finely ground coconut) with an equal volume of heavy cream, and add a little vanilla. Freeze in a home ice cream freezer, and you have coconut ice cream. The emulsifiers and stabilizers in the coconut creme give it a perfect texture. Also, you can use coconut milk instead of regular milk in any cake recipe, reducing the sugar "to taste." Ditto for homemade pudding (the old-fashioned kind you make with cornstarch).

The coconut rice thing works very well, and you can also use coconut milk in the cooking liquid for almost any recipe for fish, shellfish, or chicken. (Although it does taste better with ginger and hot pepper in it - the hot spices and the sweet creaminess sort of balance each other.)

[princessofgeeks]

Thank you! I'm not that interested in trying to adapt desserts to coconut milk, but I honestly did not know you can substitute coconut milk for other kinds of milk in some recipes.

Thank you!!!

[acelightning]

Just adjust the sugar in the recipe, or, if the original recipe has no sugar, you might want to add something tart (a dry wine, regular or rice vinegar, any citrus juice) to balance it. You can make food taste any way you want - it's going in your mouth, after all!

[princessofgeeks]

LOL, yes, it is my mouth. That seems obvious.

My sister loves to cook and went to chef school. She can imagine tastes before they are created, and is so familiar with how different spices blend that she can create recipes.

It's a talent I don't have. I have become a much better cook than I was 20 years ago, but I rely on recipes and not on creativity when it comes to food.

Thanks for the encouragement, though.

[acelightning]

What I mostly meant is that, whatever you care to eat, you're "allowed" to make it taste exactly the way you want it to (or the way you and your companions want it to, if you're dining with other people). And if it's just for yourself, go ahead and make it any way you know you like. But don't be afraid to experiment from time to time; if it doesn't come out tasting good to you, just don't make it that way again. (And ask your sister for advice.)

[princessofgeeks]

Yes to all this.

I just meant that I have no fear of doing what I want -- I don't worry about The Rules -- but I don't have the kind of creative chops yet that allow me to freely experiment. Recipes are good.

Maybe someday!

Thanks again for the encouragement and all the yummy ideas.

[acelightning]

You're welcome! That's what this community is all about :-)