Making coconut milk

We had some friends over for dinner a while back, and as it often happens, we started talking about food. Coconut milk is one of the things that came up and I realised that I hadn’t posted anything with coconut milk. Someone asked which brand of coconut milk I buy and I said I don’t buy often enough to remember, I usually prefer to make it myself.

They asked why, I could tell they were expecting a well thought out answer about how it’s better to make it yourself, and avoiding the harmful chemicals in canned products etc etc. But  the truth is I actually just like to make it. I enjoy the processes in the kitchen, I rarely look for an easy way out. Nothing wrong (that I know of) with buying the canned coconut milk. I didn’t really have a clear answer at the time but I thought about it later and it just brought back memories from when I was a kid. I realised that I’ve been repeating many things the way I have seen my mother do. From how I cook to the way I arrange the kitchen.

There were two small ones, hubby helped me to crack them open
There were two small ones, hubby helped me to crack them open

I have an archive of memories, snippets of images and moments, when I happened to catch my mother doing something in the kitchen. So I often default to what I remember seeing and it is what makes my time in the kitchen enjoyable (not that it wouldn’t be, I already like being in there!). It’s exciting! I saw her do something years ago as she prepared a meal for her family and I just enjoy recreating some of those moments in the present as I prepare a meals for my family.

One of those things is making coconut milk   

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I finally got a mbuzi (yes, it’s called a mbuzi, i have no idea why!) in november last year while we were in Mombasa. They sell them here too though.

I had been looking for a mbuzi for two years. I remember the one my mother had and I wanted the same design but I just couldn’t find one. They used to make them very beautifully, the wood was curved out with designs, and they were much bigger than the ones I’ve seen in the market today (or maybe I was small! ha ha ha!). They were like art pieces. My mother gave hers away when we moved a long time ago.

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scraping out the coconut

Before I got the mbuzi I would pull out the coconut from the shell in large chunks and grate it. I would even cook with the grates …

All done!
finished scraping out the coconut flesh
ahen
I could have scraped out more of that coconut but these were already going bad (it was just a bad buy), I was avoiding the bad bits
in water
in water

Next, put in warm water and let it sit for ten minutes. Don’t use too much water, use an amount that makes sense for the quantity of shavings you have so you can get nice thick milk on the first round of squeezing. There are three rounds.

squeezed out the first glass
squeezed out the first glass, and then put them back in warm water

I also  use the same amount of water each time. Wash your hands before you do this part. By the way, there is a bag that is used for squeezing out the milk, I have never used it myself and my mother used her hands too so that’s what I do. But if you can get the bag, do. I’ve heard you get more out of the coconut with it.

squeezing out the last one
squeezing out the last one
all done!
all done!
if you wait a while you'll see the first one separate
if you wait a while you’ll see the first one separate, it’s aways the thickest, and it get’s lighter with each subsequent squeeze

I made mbaazi with this batch of coconut milk, that post will go up tomorrow morning, you will be back to check it out, right? (^_^)

 

About aika

Making, eating and sharing good food are a splendid way to start, brake and end a day! I post good eats on www.pendolamama.co.ke. Life is a feast, eat up!

3 thoughts on “Making coconut milk

  1. Wow!! Talk of Proverbs 31 woman, I have never thought of making coconut milk. Thanks for this, challenge accepted, seeing that I don’t have a mbuzi, I will try the grating idea. Awesome, post.

    1. Aawww! Thanks girl! Can’t say I’ve ever been called that before.
      It is such a huge compliment!

      Most people just think I’m crazy!
      I really do enjoy doing things in the kitchen though.

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