Cooking with Coconut Milk

 I have really enjoyed having more time to cook since I retired.   The past few days I have tried several new recipes including my mother’s pound cake recipe.  I’ve never been one to make cakes or baked goodies, so this was something new for me.  I made a couple of mistakes, but tried correcting them as I went, and the cake turned out pretty good.  It was a learning experience, so next time I’ll remember these mistakes and try not to make them again.

I recently ran across an article about coconut milk, and it intrigued me enough to buy a whole case of Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk.  After opening the first can, I learned that the coconut milk separates, with the thick cream being at the top of the can and the liquid watery part at the bottom.  I did try shaking it first but found that it still needs to be stirred together after opening.  The first way I tried this new addition to my diet was to put a spoonful in my morning coffee, and oh wow!   It tasted wonderful!

I have now used the coconut milk in two recipes I found online.  I love Red Curry Chicken at a local Thai restaurant, so I found a recipe called Thai Chicken Coconut Curry.  I had to purchase a couple of items at the grocery store that are not normally in my kitchen.  The dish was delicious and even my husband tried it.  He had never tried Thai food.  I will make this one again.  The other recipe using coconut milk was Easy Tom Kha Soup.  I did my best on it but did not stick completely to the recipe.  I enjoyed the soup, and my husband tolerated it, but it was a little too spicy for his taste.

My favorite thing I have done with the coconut milk is to use it for a smoothie.  I have started slicing and freezing bananas when they get too ripe and then I use them in smoothies.  I made this one up myself:  1/3 cup of cold coconut milk, some frozen banana slices, 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt – blend together in a blender and it’s delicious just like this.  Sometimes I add a tiny bit of peanut butter and a tiny bit of spirulina which turns it green.  I bought the spirulina to use as a natural colorant for soap making, and then realized it’s also a very nutritious food.  But it smells like seaweed, so I have started out with just a tad in my smoothie and I can’t even taste it.  I don’t think I’d like using more than a tad if it tastes like it smells!

Recipes:

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

Easy Tom Kha Soup