This recipe makes about three cups of coconut milk.
Ingredients
2 cups coconut flakes (unsweetened)4 cups water (lukewarm)1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
Tools
BlenderBowlKitchen towelMeasuring cupsMeasuring spoonsStrainerMason jar (optional)
Instructions
Now that you’re done, you can drink the coconut milk immediately or store it in your refrigerator inside a sealed container like a mason jar. It’ll keep for three or four days in the fridge. When you take it out to drink, make sure you shake or stir it. Due to the lack of preservatives in homemade coconut milk, the mixture can separate, making for an unpleasant drinking experience.
What you need to know
Coconut milk can vary, especially in terms of thickness. Thicker products are more likely to be used in cooking and are more densely packed with calories and fat, but may also have significant amounts of fiber or iron that dairy milk doesn’t, says Jo Ann S. Carson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Texas’ Southwestern Medical Center. But is it healthy? If you’re buying it, it depends on what’s on the label, but if you’re making it, you’re in control. “The two concerns I have regarding less-healthy contents of coconut milk are regarding the saturated fat and the added sugar,” Carson says. “If one’s overall diet includes animal protein (that likely provides some saturated fat), I would encourage getting no more than 50% of the daily value of saturated fat from one’s daily coconut milk intake.” Making your own coconut milk may start off as an intimidating challenge, but by the time you’re finished, you’ve learned a new skill, saved some money, and gained some confidence in your cooking abilities.
