10 Ways to Cook with Coconut Milk
By Caroline Lange
Good things come in tin cans. Case in point: sardines, whole tomatoes, beans galore—and coconut milk. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Coconut milk is one sexy, dreamy canned good.
More: 1 quart of coconut water, 5 green smoothies
It’s sweet but not cloyingly so, rich but not heavy. It’s cheap! It adds depth to the savory and the sweet, from soup to cake. Its creamy, dairy-like qualities make it a vegan’s best friend—and it can be your best friend too.
Here are 10 ways to make friends with coconut milk:
Eat it for breakfast:
Toasted Almond and Coconut Quinoa Porridge by Gena Hamshaw
More: How to make homemade coconut milk
Make dinner better:
Sautéed Spring Mushrooms, Chiles + Cilantro in Caramelized Coconut Broth by CarolineWright
Vegan Kale and White Bean Korma by Alexandra Dawson
More: The coconut bar of your dreams
Cheap Creamy Chicken Curry by Table9
More: How to crack and use a whole coconut
More: How to make dairy-free, vegan coconut ice cream
End on a sweet note:
Coconut Milk Rice Pudding with Citrus and Ginger by Gena Hamshaw
Vegan Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream by Ashley McLaughlin
Coconut Cajeta & Chocolate Fondue by hardlikearmour
Coconut Tres Leches by aargesi
Your Ten-Minute Bowl of Bananas in Coconut Milk by Nicholas Day
My Favorite Pina Colada by Merrill Stubbs
My Favorite Pina Colada
Makes 4 cocktails
3 oz light rum
4 cups ice
2/3 cup fresh pineapple chunks
3 oz cream of coconut
2 oz coconut milk
4 oz pineapple juice
Juice of ½ large lime
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
Combine all the ingredients in a blender (use a good, strong one that can crush ice) and blend until smooth. Add more ice or liquid to taste. Serve in a pretty glass with a shower of grated nutmeg, a lime wedge and maybe even a cocktail umbrella.
