From coconut milk. How to make coconut milk at home

Delicious vegetable milk and homemade coconut flakes, and now let's learn how to bake delicious with these interesting ingredients chocolate pie!

The recipe fascinated me with the fact that in the cake itself there is not a single gram of butter, vegetable or butter, and eggs are not needed at all. Only dry ingredients and milk. Great, isn't it? A pie with coconut milk turns out to be tall, with a rather dense structure, but porous and moist, similar to chocolate on boiling water.

The more cocoa powder and the darker it is, the rich taste and color of the crust. I think it will make a great cake base if soaked and smeared with white cream! But just like that, poured with chocolate icing, the pie is very tasty and satisfying.

Ingredients:

For shape 20-23 cm(in a large form, the cake will turn out lower, in a smaller one - higher, but it may need to be baked a little longer) -

  • 400 ml coconut milk;
  • 200-240 g flour;
  • 150 g sugar;
  • 50 g cocoa powder;
  • 12 g baking powder;
  • A pinch of salt;
  • Dark or milk chocolate + 1 tbsp. l milk + 20 g butter for glaze;
  • Coconut flakes for sprinkling - optional.

How to bake:

Preparation is extremely simple: mix dry ingredients with a bowl: flour sifted with baking powder; sugar, salt and cocoa.

Mix everything well.

Since coconut milk is separated into liquid and fat in the refrigerator, before adding to the dough, it must be heated to a pleasantly warm state and stirred so that the exfoliated components - milk and butter - are combined again. Then pour the coconut milk into the dry mixture and stir.

It turns out pouring chocolate dough, similar in density to sour cream: less liquid than the usual consistency of muffin dough, slightly thicker than pancakes. If the dough is too thin, you can add flour (in original recipe 200g, it took me almost 240g). But do not overdo it so that the cake does not come out too dense.

After stirring the lumps in the dough, pour it into a mold covered with parchment and greased vegetable oil.

We bake at 180C for about 40 minutes, perhaps a little more or less. We check the readiness with a wooden skewer: according to the author, it is allowed that a little dough remains on it, then the cake turns out to be more moist. And if you wait for the stick to come out dry, then the cake will be drier.

Bye ready-made cake cools down, prepare the icing by melting chocolate with milk and butter in a water bath. While stirring, wait until the chocolate melts and the mixture turns into a thick, like sour cream, homogeneous chocolate icing... Pour it over the cake, spreading it out with a spoon.

Sprinkle with coconut if desired. My son loves coconut flakes, and my daughter loves chocolate, so I pounded half of the pie with chips, and left half of the pie just with icing :) So that everyone can taste it :)

But what fluffy pie in the middle!

Enjoy your tea!

Coconut milk is an undervalued product in our latitudes. It is known mainly as an element of exotic Thai cuisine and a number of diets that involve the rejection of one or another food of animal origin. In this case, coconut milk acts as an alternative to the usual cow milk or goat milk, cream or sour cream.

However, a delicate creamy drink with a light sweetish taste has much more useful properties, rather than just the ability to replace fermented milk products. Life hacker found out all about the health benefits of coconut milk.

Why is coconut milk good for you?

First, let's define the concepts. Coconut milk is not at all the kind of water that splashes inside a whole tropical nut. This liquid is called coconut water, it consists of almost 95% water itself and contains practically no fat or other nutrients.

Milk, on the other hand, is carefully processed to homogeneous mass mixture coconut pulp and water. Lifehacker has already written how you can make coconut milk.

The output is a high-calorie product with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and microelements. So, after drinking one cup (240 ml), you get Coconut Milk Health Benefits and Uses:

  • 552 kilocalories;
  • 57 g fat;
  • 5 g protein;
  • 11% daily value vitamin C;
  • 22% of the daily value for iron and magnesium;
  • 18% of the daily value of potassium;
  • 21% of the daily value for selenium.

In addition, you will completely block the daily requirement of the body for manganese. And here's what this fat-vitamin-mineral cocktail does to your health.

1. You are losing weight

For many, the word "fat" has a strong association with being overweight, but in this case, fat, on the contrary, contributes to weight loss. Sounds absurd? No.

Coconut milk contains mainly polyunsaturated fats (including the famous essential omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9), which are great for metabolism. But that's not all. Lauric acid accounts for about half of all fatty acids. This substance belongs to the category of so-called fatty acids with an average chain size, which have one unique feature: from the digestive tract, they go straight to the liver, where they are immediately used to produce energy or ketones (these substances are the main "fuel").

Therefore, coconut fat is much less likely to turn into fat stores - the body spends The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil its almost instantaneously.

In addition, lauric acid has another bonus: it works in the brain's receptors that control appetite and helps reduce hunger. For example, here's a little research Impact of medium and long chain triglycerides consumption on appetite and food intake in overweight men, which showed that overweight people who ate medium-chain fatty acids at breakfast ate 272 fewer calories during lunch than those who ate other types of fats at breakfast.

2. You get smarter and more productive

This is how the already mentioned polyunsaturated fats omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 work, as well as lauric acid - the energy supplier for the brain.

3. You increase immunity

Lauric acid is also a powerful antimicrobial Fatty Acids and Derivatives as Antimicrobial Agents and an antiviral agent that reduces bacteria and viruses in the mouth and in the body as a whole. There is confirmed evidence that lauric acid is able to resist A Review of Monolaurin and Lauric Acid even such active and dangerous viruses as HIV, measles and a number of herpes, including cytomegalovirus.

4. You Promote Heart and Cardiovascular Health

Coconut milk reduces the risk of plaque buildup on the walls of blood vessels. Moreover, this effect is so noticeable that scientists talk about good prospects for using coconut milk in dietary nutrition cardiac patients.

For example, in this 8-week study Impact of a traditional dietary supplement with coconut milk and soya milk on the lipid profile in normal free living subjects, conducted with the participation of 60 men, it was found: the use of oatmeal on coconut milk reduced the amount of "bad" cholesterol in the blood and increased the level of "good".

5. You improve the condition of your skin and hair

Coconut milk has a beneficial effect on our body not only internally, but also externally: for example, Lifehacker has already discussed how omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids supplied with food affect the level of skin moisture.

The antimicrobial and antiviral activity of lauric acid also extends to the treatment and prevention of all kinds of skin diseases: from eczema to herpes. Milk can be used as a mask for hair and skin, or added to your usual cosmetics, such as a nourishing body cream.

Here is a video in which the famous American nutritionist Bruce Fife, president of the Coconut Research Center in Colorado Springs (USA), tells all about how the fats contained in coconut milk affect the appearance.

What to make with coconut milk

Below are three incredibly quick, easy and budget recipes.

1. Carrot and coconut soup

EvilShenanigans / Flickr.com

It's simple and at the same time original dish even a child can cook. This soup is a good solution if you are fasting or on a vegetarian diet.

Ingredients:

  • 3 carrots;
  • 200 ml coconut milk;
  • 400 ml of water;
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • salt and black pepper to taste;
  • parsley or basil for garnish.

Preparation

Peel the carrots, rinse in running water, cut into slices. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil. Then simmer over low heat until the carrots are tender.

Without turning off the heat, add turmeric, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Stir, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove soup from heat, add lemon juice and stir with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into bowls, garnish with coarsely chopped herbs. To add flavor to the soup, add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to each bowl.

2. Chicken in coconut milk with spices and mango


CinnamonKitchn / Flickr.com

This is one of the most popular dishes Thai food, which is easy to prepare yourself.

Ingredients:

  • 3 chicken breasts without skin;
  • 250 ml coconut milk;
  • 1 peeled mango;
  • 1 small carrot, peeled;
  • 1 medium onion, peeled;
  • 1 fresh chili
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • 1 cm fresh ginger root
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
  • salt to taste.

Preparation

Cut the onion into rings and fry in oil in a large skillet until soft. Place the coarsely diced chicken there and fry over high heat until the pieces are browned on all sides.

Cut the mango and carrot into large cubes and add to the chicken. Reduce heat to medium, cover skillet and let ingredients simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Chop the garlic, ginger, chili pepper with a knife and send to the pan with the chicken and mango. Add curry, season with salt, mix well, cover with coconut milk, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover skillet with lid and let cool.

Serve in deep bowls, adding to each soy sauce taste. The perfect side dish boiled rice is used for chicken with spices.

3. Coconut cocktail with strawberries


Linda-Pauline Pehrsdotter / Flickr.com

Thanks to the addition of coconut milk, the taste of traditional milkshake becomes deeper and more interesting, acquiring an exotic touch. If for some reason you do not consume traditional dairy products (say, due to lactose intolerance), cow's milk in this cocktail can be completely replaced with coconut or water.

Ingredients:

  • 400 ml coconut milk;
  • 200 ml of cow's milk;
  • 80 g brown sugar;
  • 200 g fresh strawberries;
  • 20 g coconut flakes;
  • ice cubes optional.

Preparation

Wash the strawberries, peel off the tails, setting aside 3-4 berries (by the number of glasses) for decoration. Place the peeled berries in a blender. Add ice based on the desired temperature of the future cocktail.

Pour coconut and regular milk, beat until smooth. Add sugar and whisk again.

Pour into tall glasses, sprinkle with coconut. Decorate the glasses with whole strawberries or sliced ​​strawberries with preserved tails.

And milk is crushed ripe pulp, and not at all the liquid drained from it. The taste of coconut milk and its consistency directly depend on the number of pressing. Pleasant sweet taste and the delicate aroma has a product of the first pressing.

The chemical composition, harm and benefits of coconut milk

Coconut milk isn't just incredible tasty product, this is very healthy delicacy... So, it contains a rich vitamin and mineral complex. Coconut is rich in vitamins B, C, E, PP, K, elements such as zinc, selenium, iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese, amino acids and valuable fatty acids.

Nutritionists include a nut in the menu of low-calorie food, since the sugar in fruits is represented by fructose. Coconut milk dishes are very popular. Coconut contains no more than 5% vegetable proteins, and there are fats that are easily assimilated by the human body. This allows the product to be used with intolerance to animal components.

Health Effects of Coconut Milk

The harm and benefits of coconut milk is a frequent topic of discussion among scientists. The extract obtained from southern nuts has the following actions:

Southern coconut milk has a tonic effect. The natural product will fill the human body with strength after a hard day, remove fatigue, relieve depression and help restore excellent health.

Also, coconut milk, reviews of which, by the way, are also available from doctors, and purely positive, is recommended to be consumed during rehabilitation after undergoing a course of radiation and chemotherapy, after prolonged use of antibiotics. It normalizes the work of the intestines, bringing its microflora back to normal.

It should be noted that heat treatment coconut milk does not deprive him of high nutritional properties... For this quality in Europe this valuable product was called "tropical cream".

Harm of coconut milk

Despite its wonderful properties, coconut milk can sometimes be harmful. It can cause allergic reactions. In this case, its use in food is strictly contraindicated. Also, according to experts, people with individual fructose intolerance should limit or even exclude the intake of palm nuts.

The harm and benefits of coconut milk is a topic that worries many. Eating large amounts of it can lead to negative reactions from the digestive system. So, attacks of nausea, diarrhea and dizziness are possible. In some cases, people have increased blood pressure, heart rhythm beats, and blood supply to organs deteriorates.

You should be especially careful with canned milk. A natural product should contain only coconut and water. Milk with a lot of preservatives will have little benefit. Expired product is also unacceptable to eat.

Coconut milk and shavings preparation

We will now look at how to make coconut milk at home. Fresh walnuts can be found in almost every grocery store. The resulting product is widely used in cooking for making soups and cocktails. You can also make an excellent dessert with milk.

First, punch a hole in the coconut shell. To do this, select the desired "eye". The liquid must be poured out, and only then the shell must be cracked. After the peel is peeled, we get a white fragrant pulp, which is needed to prepare milk. Rub the pulp on a medium grater. We put it in a container and fill it with boiling water. You need to take such an amount of water so that it covers the mass a little. After half an hour, squeeze the grated nut with cheesecloth. The resulting liquid is the most valuable coconut milk, which can be stored in the refrigerator for a day.

The shavings remaining after spinning must be put on a baking sheet in the oven. Dry until tender - within half an hour. From one coconut, as a rule, you get a glass of milk and about two glasses of shavings.

Popular recipes with coconut milk

The dishes prepared using coconut milk are distinguished by an unsurpassed aroma and amazing taste. Product even for yourself an ordinary dish will give a piquant aroma and tenderness. The harm and benefits of coconut milk have been discussed by us earlier. And now here are some recipes.

Chicken baked in coconut milk

To prepare this dish, we need the following ingredients:

    chicken legs - 4 pcs.;

    coconut milk - 2 cups;

    onions - 2 heads;

    vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon;

    lemon juice - 1 tablespoon;

    garlic - 2 cloves;

    salt - 1 teaspoon;

    seasonings.

Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Thoroughly wash and dry the chicken legs. We cut them, separating the lower leg from the thighs. Lemon juice mix with chopped garlic, pepper, fennel, coriander and cinnamon. We rub the meat with the resulting mixture and leave for half an hour. Finely chop the onion and fry it until golden brown. We add to it chicken legs and fry until fully cooked. Put the meat in a baking dish and fill it with coconut milk. We put the dish in the oven for 30 minutes. You can also always make a dessert from milk.

Shrimp in coconut milk

To cook this fragrant and tasty dish, you will need:

    shrimp - 1 kg;

    coconut milk - 2 cups;

    onions - 2 heads;

    tomatoes - 2 pcs.;

    olive oil - 2 tablespoons;

    seasonings.

Peel the onions and cut into rings. Fry them in a pan in olive oil... Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and add to the onion. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Combine coconut milk with turmeric, pepper and saffron. We spread in vegetable mix shrimps. Salt to taste and fill with coconut milk. The ingredients are stewed with the lid closed for no more than 15 minutes. Can be served on the table. Bon Appetit!

There are other recipes as well. Coconut milk can be used to prepare a wide variety of dishes.

Increasingly, people are faced with dishes based on exotic fruits. However, few people know that quality milk can be obtained from coconut. The liquid has a light taste and pleasant aroma. The product is used as an alternative to animal milk. It is also used for making baked goods. In Europe and Asian countries, coconut milk is used to make first and second courses, sweet and hot sauces... Also using this product in everyday life, you enrich the body with a mass of useful elements and vitamins.

Household appliances for preparing milk

  • fine sieve;
  • a device for mixing components;
  • small capacity;
  • enameled saucepan;
  • food processor;
  • sharp knife;
  • a hammer;
  • cutting board.

Method number 1. Freeze-dried coconut milk

  1. Purchase a bag of grated coconut. When choosing, make an acceptance for the naturalness of the product, it should not contain any sweet additives and spices. Most often, a free-flowing composition is sold in supermarkets on a common shelf with baking goods.
  2. Based on the mass of the purchased shavings, by 300 gr. composition will turn out to prepare 550 ml. coconut milk. Pour in required amount product in a blender. Calculate how much coconut milk you can consume during the day, since the shelf life of the product in the refrigerator does not exceed 24 hours.
  3. For 300 gr. coconut flakes are taken 600 ml. filtered water. Pour the liquid into enamel pot based on how much milk you want. Boil the required amount of water. Then add boiling water to a container with coconut flakes. Mix the ingredients well.
  4. Place the lid on the cookware and turn on the hotplate at full power. Achieve uniformity of the composition. For safety precautions, hold the cover of the instrument firmly. Due to the high temperature of the water, it may open unexpectedly.
  5. Take a sieve, cover it with gauze if necessary, strain the composition into a suitable container. Milk should not contain coconut particles. Take a gauze cloth and wring it out well. Strain the mixture again if necessary.
  6. Store coconut milk in a glass container with a tight lid. Pour the composition from the container into a jar, send to the refrigerator. With prolonged standing, the milk begins to stratify, the fat is separated from the water, forming a cream. Shake well before use.

Method number 2. Prepared coconut milk

  1. Purchase the required amount of coconut flakes. Mix with water or soy milk in equal proportions.
  2. Combine the same amount of shavings and liquid in a saucepan. Send heat-resistant container over low heat. Simmer the mixture for 4 minutes, avoiding bubbles.
  3. Then pour the composition into a gauze-lined sieve. Strain the milk into a suitable container, squeeze out the cloth and shavings well. The product is ready to use.
  4. Store milk in a cool place in a glass container. Pre-wrap the jar with thick paper, pour liquid into it and close the lid tightly. In this state, the shelf life of the treat is no more than 45 hours. Also, the product can be frozen.

Method number 3. Fresh coconut milk

  1. Rub the coconut pulp into a suitable container, then place it in a food processor. Pour in the required amount of boiling water, based on the proportions: 2 parts of the liquid account for 1 part of the raw material.
  2. Close the lid of the dish, grind the mixture until smooth. You can use a blender if you wish. Next, fold the product onto a sieve, then pour the milk into a glass container. Apply as you see fit.

Method number 4. Whole coconut milk

  1. Purchase whole nuts from the grocery market. When choosing, focus on heavy specimens with coconut water. The integrity of the 3 dark holes on the nut must not be compromised.
  2. To open a coconut, place the fruit on a cutting counter. Hold the product with one hand, with the other take a knife. Use a sharp point to cut the area around the eye. You can also stab the fruit in one place with a knife until the shell cracks.
  3. Follow the steps until the cover peels off, which can be easily removed. To prevent negative consequences, use a knife with a well-sharpened blade. A large tool for butchering meat or fish will do.
  4. Coconut can also be opened in a different way. To do this, wrap the fruit with a cotton towel and place it on a flat surface (cutting board, kitchen table, etc.).
  5. For convenience, you must first drill a hole in the shell, drain the coconut liquid, then proceed with the procedure. Take a hammer, hit the eye sockets. Manipulations are carried out until the nut is split in half.
  6. After opening the nut, you need to make sure that it is fresh. Determine the quality of coconut pulp by smell and appearance. The raw material should not be colorless, dry or odorless. Pour the coconut water straight into a blender.
  7. Remove all the pulp of the nut in a way that works for you. Remove the dark melon-like texture. Send the resulting gruel to a blender.
  8. Achieve a smooth paste by mixing the pulp and coconut water. Then pour the mass into a glass and enjoy. If desired, coconut milk is combined with citrus fruit pulp.

When choosing coconut flakes, give preference to specimens without adding impurities. If possible, determine how dry it is. The juicier the product, the tastier the milk will be. When buying fresh nuts from the market, rely on their heavy weight and relatively small dimensions. Externally, assess whether the coconut has mechanical defects. Listen if there is water in it.

Video: how to make coconut milk

Recipes with coconut milk are popular in the cuisine of Southeast Asia, where not only drinks are prepared on the basis of coconut milk, but also soups, basic meat and fish dishes... Our stores sell coconut milk and coconut cream, which are used in recipes in about the same way. In addition, you can make wonderful desserts from coconut milk - jelly or coconut cream.

Pan-Asian cuisine is distinguished by its rich seasonings, and hence the unusual flavor combinations... As a rule, this is a spicy food with the addition of sweet and sour notes. We offer a recipe for spaghetti with shrimps in coconut milk in a Pan-Asian style, where th

chapter: Pasta with sauces

Many believe that coconut milk is the liquid found in coconut. In fact, what's inside is called coconut water, and milk is obtained from the white pulp of a coconut. And it costs in the store oh how expensive. And here are the prices

chapter: Other desserts

The base for the chicken and coconut milk pie can be taken ready-made - or frozen puff pastry, or a pizza base. The Thai style chicken pie is a good substitute for dinner. It doesn't need any side dish. If only a glass of dry m

chapter: Thai cuisine

To prepare the spicy, spicy Tom Yama soup, you need a certain set of products, without which it is impossible to get the very taste and aroma for which this Thai soup is appreciated. First of all, we are talking about spices - kaffir leaves, ginger and lemon with

chapter: Thai cuisine

To make Thai soup you will need fresh mushrooms shiitake or royal oyster mushrooms eringi (Eringi). The vegetables in the finished soup are not tortured by the long boiling, which means that some vitamins remain. With each step, the aromas in the soup intensified, and at the end with

chapter: Thai cuisine

Meatballs in Thai sauce can be cooked instantly if you have ready-made seasonings. In the restaurant version, this dish is called meat balls pad thai. The recipe is very simple, and if you follow it, then the finished dish will not differ from that

chapter: Thai cuisine

Custard cooked not only with milk or cream, but also with coconut milk and coconut cream. The cream is obtained with a light coconut aroma. If follow classic recipe custard, then after thickening of the yolks with coconut cream,

chapter: Custard

Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours before cooking. As for vegetables, everything is seasonal! Do you have a pumpkin - add it, eggplant, with green beans, zucchini. There are not and cannot be specific recommendations. Serve ready-made chickpeas with rice, or you can simply serve with chl

chapter: Bean Dishes

Pasta with hot and sweet turkey and pumpkin curry can be made in 30 minutes. All components of the dish do not require long cooking, it is enough to fry the products for 3-4 minutes, and then pour coconut milk, add spices and boil for about

chapter: Iranian cuisine