After paying $5 a gallon for coconut milk at the grocery store, I decided to make some on my own. To do this you will need a Champion juicer, a raw coconut and some water. Other juicers may work but I haven't tried them. My grocery sells coconuts for about 99 cents each. Each coconut will make about 24 ounces of coconut milk. You can also use a blender to grind up the meat and strain it through cheese cloth.
Coconut milk contains the natural enzymes and oil from the coconut. This milk is high in lauric acid. Lauric acid is antimicrobial, antiviral and is an excellent antioxidant.
Coconuts are easy to crack open. I use a rolling pin and hit it on the end where the eyes are. You will probably have to hit it more than once. Put the coconut over a bowl and catch the coconut water as it comes out. You can mix this with the milk later on.
The outer shell should come off in pieces. Hit the coconut with the rolling pin if the shell is difficult to remove. Peel off the shell completely and cut or break the coconut into inch size pieces. I have also had to use a spoon to dig under the meat to remove it.
Turn on the Champion or whatever juicer you are using and put the coconut pieces into the reservoir and push them through using the push stick. After you get a couple of pieces masticated in the juicer pour some of the coconut water through. This should produce a white milk in the juice bowl. Continue to alternately insert coconut and pour water. The masticated coconut should be ejected from the juicer after a few minutes. After milking about 1/2 a coconut you may have to clean the coconut out of the juicer and start again. This ground coconut can be used in other dishes just like shredded coconut.
That is about it. Store the coconut milk in the refrigerator and consume within a week. It is good mixed with juice, protein powder or plain. The oil and pulp will separate so you will have to shake the milk up. This is why I store it in a jar with a lid.
Use the coconut milk as a replacement for regular milk. Use it on your cereal or just drink it plain. It is delicious and good for you.
Use the coconut milk as a replacement for regular milk. Use it on your cereal or just drink it plain. It is delicious and good for you.
That sounds easy--I'll have to try this. But the caveat is that most fresh coconuts at stores (which are from Asia) have either been irradiated or dipped in preservatives (such as bleach) to extend their shelf life. At the very least, it seems a coconut should be soaked in water or a mild soap solution before being used, which would probably help remove some of the junk that might be on it.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I like the idea of adding the coconut water to the milk. I was never quite sure what to do with it.
"After paying $5 a gallon for coconut milk ... My grocery sells coconuts for about 99 cents each. Each coconut will make about 24 ounces of coconut milk."
ReplyDeleteLoved your instructions but I have to say - at 99c for 24 ounces, that's $5.40 for a gallon. Maybe the grocery store milk was a better option after all. Less fun but a heck of a lot easier.
Where we live coconuts are cheap and milk very expensive, so I'm about to try your methods.
cheers
Simon