hahabogus wrote:
> Coconut milk is made out of water and freshly shredded coconut flesh. The
> water is filtered thru the shredded coconut. This is easily made at home,
> but involves the hard work of getting the meat out of the coconut and
> shredding it , plus a cloth bag to use as a filter and a bowl to collect
> the drippings. It takes overnight. I have read recipes for the making of it
> but never tried it myself (too lazy I guess).


Tips to make it easier:


The coconut will have 3 spots or eyes forming a little face at one end.
They're the place that's soft and easy to break into. You can use a
screwdriver. Empty the coconut water through there. (Strain this, cool
and drink it.)


Crack the coconut by taking it outside and throwing it against the
sidewalk. When it breaks into pieces, pick them up. Put them in the
oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes. As the coconut meat contracts
from the heat, the hard outer shell stays the same size. This makes
it easier to separate the white fleshy part from the inedible part.
Use the same screwdriver.


Put the white coconut meat in the cuisinart with a steel blade. Add
boiling water. Process. Skip the cheesecloth and use a regular metal
strainer. Push through with a spoon. It won't take overnight, a few
minutes max. I stop after the first pressing, but you could take what's
leftover (someone provide the word, please), add more hot water and
process again in the cuisinart. Press again.


The liquid you've extracted is the milk, and like milk, the cream will
rise to the top for use in recipes.


And now a confession: I prefer the canned stuff! To me, it tastes more
coconutty. This is one of those rare instances where I prefer the
artificial product to the real thing.


--Lia