It happened to most people when they were young; they were taught that the liquid inside the coconut is the milk. However, that was a lie and was told wrong. In fact, this clear liquid is coconut water or coconut juice. The pure coconut milk is extracted from the grated flesh of the mature coconut. Coconut is actually delicate, unlike the other nuts, and its shelf life is not very long. This happens especially in those cases when the outer husk of a coconut is removed.
The cover or outer husk of the coconut is very thick and hard, so it is very difficult for the consumers to remove the husk. That’s why when you see a coconut in a store, its outer husk is generally discarded before. When you are shopping for coconuts in the store, you should go for the one which is heavy. You don’t have to select that one which is cracked or punctured. Just shake it to make sure that you are getting that coconut which is full of juice. Also, check that the eyes of the coconut are not mouldy.
Inside the shell of the coconut, there is thick flesh which should be of pure white colour. If the flesh of the coconut is yellowish from the inside, then it is probably too old. After squeezing the freshly grated coconut with a piece of muslin, you will now have the pure coconut milk. Nowadays, you don’t need to squeeze your coconut because you can have a good quality coconut milk available in the market in cartons and cans. You can also get the coconut cream which is much thicker than the coconut milk.
Once you open your can of coconut, it must be refrigerated. In the fridge, generally, it can be kept for a couple of days. But if you leave the can at room temperature, it will quickly spoil and get sour. Another option you have is to freeze it for future use. At extreme high temperatures, it might curdle. That’s why you have to avoid boiling it rapidly. Also, make sure that you stir it to a simmering point.
Pure coconut milk is a very used ingredient of cooking in South-East Asia. In western countries, it is used in the curries for flavouring. You will also find out that coconut milk can be used as a substitute in many dishes.