We prepare many desserts, beverages, candies and ice cream with coconut milk. Our parents made the coconut milk from fresh coconuts in Puerto Rico. Therefore, when you prepare a recipe with fresh coconut milk, you will definitely enhance the coconut flavor to your dish.
Food History!
Did you know that the palm tree without coconuts is native to Puerto Rico known as La Palma Real (Royal Palm)? The palm tree with coconuts arrived to the island from West Africa. The coconut originated in Southeast Asia.
Describing the Coconut to Prepare the Coconut Milk!
This is a whole mature pre-scored coconut. The coconut is covered by a hard brown and hairy shell. Inside each coconut is the white oily meat and coconut water. When you shake the coconut, you can hear the movement of the coconut water inside the coconut.
Conversely, if the coconut does not contain any coconut water, it is considered completely ripe. The immature coconuts are green.
Puncturing the Eyes of the Coconut to Drain the Coconut Water!
For this recipe, I will be using one (1) whole mature coconut. The coconut has three (3) eyes that we need to puncture in order to drain the coconut water from the coconut.
Hold a small screw driver in place over one eye.
Gently tap the screw driver with a hammer until it punctures the coconut.
As you can see, one eye has been punctured. Continue this process for the other two eyes.
Once all three eyes have been punctured, we can now drain the coconut water from the coconut.
Shake the coconut to release the coconut water into a bowl. Discard the coconut water.
Removing the Coconut Meat from the Coconut Shell!
Let’s crack open the coconut around the equator (pre-scored line) with a hammer.
Place the coconut on a kitchen towel and tap the coconut shell with a hammer (around the pre-scored line) until you completely crack open the coconut shell.
Separate the two coconut halves with your hands.
Place ½ of the coconut shell on the kitchen towel and tap with a hammer several times to crack the shell open.
Sometimes you can remove the flesh with your hands. If not, insert a table knife between the shell and coconut meat to pry the meat off. Place the coconut meat into a bowl.
Blending the Coconut Meat to Prepare the Coconut Milk!
The coconut meat has a brown skin on the back that is edible. For this recipe, I do not remove the brown skin. However, you can remove the brown skin with a vegetable peeler if you so desire. Rinse the coconut meat with cold water to remove any small pieces of the shell attached to the flesh.
Cut the coconut meat into 1 to 2-inch chunks.
Pour 4 cups of cold water and add the coconut meat from one whole mature coconut into an electric blender.
Place lid and blend for approximately 2 minutes on high speed or until well blended.
The coconut mixture has a smooth consistency. The consistency should not real thick!
Straining the Coconut Mixture to Extract the Coconut Milk!
Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl.
Line the sieve with cheesecloth and pour the coconut mixture through the cheesecloth.
Lift the edges of the cheesecloth and squeeze out the liquid with your hands until you are not able to release anymore liquid from the cheesecloth.
Remove sieve from bowl and here you have your coconut milk.
Now you can prepare any recipes that call for coconut milk as an ingredient.
The coconut milk has a sweet and tropical flavor. You can store the coconut milk in the refrigerate for 4 days or place in the freezer for 3 months.
NOTE: The coconut milk has a tendency to separate with the coconut cream on top and the liquid at the bottom. Therefore, just stir to combine both the coconut cream and the liquid prior to use.
Click on the button below to watch my YouTube video on How to Prepare Coconut Milk (Leche de Coco)!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.
Print
Coconut Milk (Leche de Coco)
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 5 cups 1x
Description
When you prepare a recipe with fresh coconut milk, you will definitely enhance the sweet, tropical and nutty coconut flavor to your dish.
Ingredients
- 1 whole mature coconut
- 4 cups of cold water
Instructions
- Place screw driver over the eyes of coconut and tap with hammer until it punctures through the coconut.
- Drain the coconut water into a bowl. Discard the coconut water.
- Place the coconut on a towel and with a hammer, tap around the equator until you completely crack open the coconut shell. Separate the two coconut halves with your hand.
- Tap one half of the coconut shell with a hammer several times until it cracks in several places. Repeat this process with the other half.
- Remove the flesh from the shell by prying the meat off from the shell with a table knife.
- Pour 4 cups of cold water and coconut meat into an electric blender. Blend at high speed for 2 minutes or until the coconut mixture has a smooth watery consistency.
- Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Place over a large bowl.
- Strain the coconut mixture by pouring the coconut mixture through the cheesecloth.
- Lift the edges of the cheesecloth and squeeze all the liquid from the cheesecloth with your hands.
- Remove sieve from bowl and stir the coconut milk.
Notes
You can refrigerate and use the coconut milk for 4 days or freeze and store it for 3 months. The coconut milk has a tendency to separate with the coconut cream on top and the liquid at the bottom. Just stir until you mix both the coconut cream and the liquid prior to use.
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Blending - Electric Blender
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keywords: Coconut Milk, Leche de Coco
