Coconut milk has quickly become a staple in may households and kitchens alike. While you have likely heard some of the hype around coconut milk, there is a chance you have never cooked with it. If you are a beginner, here are 6 things you can do with coconut milk.
1. Curries
One of the most popular uses of coconut milk is to make curries. Coconut milk automatically makes stews of fish, meat, or vegetables taste and look better. Add a little coconut milk in your favorite fish or chicken recipe next time and taste the difference.
2. Soups
From curries, it’s a natural progression to soups. You can incorporate the coconut milk as one of the liquid ingredients when making a soup, for example butternut and chicken soup.
Alternatively, you can add a bit of coconut milk or cream of coconut at the very end, to finish the soup and give it more body, instead of using dairy cream. This is most pleasing in broccoli or carrot recipes.
3. Smoothies
Simply process the coconut milk in a blender with fresh fruit, especially tropical fruits such as mangoes and pineapple. Add a touch of honey or other sweetener as needed, a squeeze of lime or lemon juice, and some ice cubes.
4. Coconut Whipped Cream
This is a fun and delicious topping to make for cakes. All you need to to is refrigerate a can of coconut milk upside down overnight, then carefully scoop out the thick cream that’s solidified at the top into a chilled bowl. Add a little sugar and beat energetically with a whisk until it forms soft peaks, and there you have it! Non-dairy whipped cream!
5. Ice cream
You can make instant ice cream by throwing into the food processor your preferred amounts of frozen bananas, frozen berries and coconut milk. In a minute you will have soft-serve ice cream to enjoy as dessert.
6. Beauty Products
This is not a culinary use of coconut milk, but a bonus tip. You can use coconut milk for many kinds of homemade cosmetics.
A classic example is a hair mask to nourish dry hair and promote growth. To do this, mix 2 tablespoons coconut milk and 1 teaspoon honey. Apply on dry, unwashed hair, leave it in for an hour, then rinse, shampoo, and rinse again. Repeat monthly.
A really fun and blissful thing to do is to add a full can of coconut milk to the tub when you’re taking a bath. It is a great moisturizer.
