Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from the grated meat of a mature coconut. It should not be confused with coconut water. The color and rich taste of coconut milk are attributed to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat.

Traditionally, coconut milk is acquired through the grating of the white inner flesh of a brown coconut, and mixing the resulting substance with a small amount of water to suspend the fat present in the grated meat.[1] The grating process itself can be carried out manually or with a more modern grating machine through a process called comminution.[1] Several grades of coconut milk exist: from 'thick' at 20-22% fat to 'thin' at 5-7%. Thick milk is prepared by directly squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth. The squeezed coconut meat is then soaked in water and squeezed further to produce thin coconut milk. Thick milk containing soluble, suspended solids is mainly used to make desserts, as well as rich and dry sauces. Thin milk is used for soups and general cooking. This distinction is usually not made in Western nations, since fresh coconut milk is rare, and most consumers buy coconut milk in cans.

Coconut water is the watery liquid that usually comes from the young, still immature green coconut, although mature coconuts also have coconut water. The still jelly-like coconut meat is often added to coconut water to make a tropical drink.

Coconut milk can be made at home by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It has then a fat content of 17-24% depending on the fat level of the coconut meat and the quantity of added water. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate out from the milk.[1] To avoid this in commercial coconut milk, an emulsifier and a stabilizer have to be used.