Coconut Milkalso: กะทิ · santan · nước cốt dừa

Origin

Coconut palms are native to the Indian and Pacific Ocean basins. Coconut milk in cooking dates to at least the 5th century CE in Indian texts.

What it tastes like

Rich, slightly sweet, creamy. Different from coconut water (the liquid inside the nut).

How it's used

The base of nearly every Thai curry. Indian coconut chutney. Indonesian rendang. Lao mok pa. Sri Lankan kiribath. Drinks (piña colada, Vietnamese chè).

Buying

Aroy-D (UHT box) is the cleanest, no preservatives, no gums. Chaokoh and Mae Ploy in cans are also good. Avoid 'lite' coconut milk — it's mostly water.

Substitutes

Coconut cream + water for richer dishes. There is no substitute that captures the flavour.

Storage

Pantry sealed, 1 year. After opening, refrigerated, 4–5 days. Frozen, 3 months — separates on thaw, whisk to recombine.