Coconut Milk

Illgresi · 29 Sep 2015 at 14:44

A bit of a plea for help here. My usual brand of coconut milk (Rajah) has seemingly ceased production; ASDA have stopped stocking it and I can't seem to find a reliable source anywhere online.

The perfect thing about Rajah, is that it is unhomogenised, and therefore 100% of the time, it has split into a thick cream on top, and a watery layer below. This is perfect for Thai cuisine, as the thick stuff on top 'cracks' into oil and solids really, really easily. Any other brands I have come across sometimes settle a little, but are so packed full of emulsifiers that it is near impossible to crack.

Does anyone know of any brands that reliably settle in the can every time?

Jim99 · 29 Sep 2015 at 14:46

Do you not like buying coconut oil separately?

boxman2000 · 29 Sep 2015 at 14:47

I've used the Waitrose Essential coconut milk and it separates as described.

FrenchTart · 29 Sep 2015 at 14:48

Coconut oil isn't the same as it has less of the fruit solids in it (iirc).

Wish I could help OP. There's a brand that I use regularly that behaves in the way you describe but embarrassingly I only know it by sight. I'm looking through Google image search at the moment to see if I can get any more detail...

edit: Pride from Sainsbury's and Chaokoh which I've usually picked up from Chinese supermarkets both work as described.

Illgresi · 29 Sep 2015 at 14:58

Thanks for the replies. I've never tried any supermarket brands, but I've been told about the Waitrose one. Unfortunately there isn't a Waitrose in Aberdeen yet, but I'll get a can next time I go to my Mother's! I'll have to have a look at Sainsbury's. Unfortunately I've tried Chaokoh, and although it seperates in the can, I've never been able to crack the cream.

I've just emailed Rajah customer services, so I'll see what they say. Yes, it means that much to me!

Glaucus · 29 Sep 2015 at 15:17

What do you use it for?
Sounds interesting never heard of cracking the solids before.

oneilldo · 29 Sep 2015 at 15:24

The coconut milk they sell at Costco separates as described

Scam · 29 Sep 2015 at 15:41

Pride from Sainsbury's is what you want. Purple/blue tin. It's also cheap compared to the others brands. We tried a few other cheap brands on occasion but they're not as decent.

Illgresi · 29 Sep 2015 at 15:44

Glaucus said:
What do you use it for?
Sounds interesting never heard of cracking the solids before.

I use it for Thai cooking (often thought of doing a thread about it!). For example if using fresh coconut, you scoop out the flesh and blend it with water then simmer it and strain it. This leaves a fairly thick liquid called coconut cream, which resembles a can of coconut milk. If left in a container it settles into a watery liquid below (coconut milk) and a thick substance floating on top (thick coconut cream) like so:

If you scoop off the thick coconut cream from the top, and heat it it will separate into coconut oil and coconut solids. The process is just beginning to happen in this picture:

This is important as Thai curry pastes should be fried first, not simmered (with a couple of exceptions). Also, using coconut oil would be a compromise, but as FrenchTart says above, when the paste is added to cracked coconut cream, the paste and coconut solids mix together and are both fried by the oil.

Then of course, when the paste is fragrant and seasoned with palm sugar and fish sauce, you add the coconut milk which acts as a stock.

Jim99 · 29 Sep 2015 at 15:45

Interesting, never knew that before. I use coconut oil a lot, but mainly for desserts. Thread would be good

VTR · 29 Sep 2015 at 18:56

Illgresi said:
I use it for Thai cooking (often thought of doing a thread about it!).

You should definitely do this!

FrenchTart · 29 Sep 2015 at 19:04

I'd also be interested in a thread about Thai cooking from you. It's something that isn't my forte (and I wouldn't mind changing that)

Jokester · 29 Sep 2015 at 19:10

FrenchTart said:
Chaokoh

Try the chinese food shop on Causewayend Illgresi, I think they have this one there.

Illgresi · 29 Sep 2015 at 19:15

I'll certainly make time then if it's of interest to people. As it happens I used the last of my green paste today, so I'll need to make some more. I'll borrow someone's camera and set about it. I'll have to source another coconut milk though, will pop up to Sainbury's some time this week and try it out!

Jolteh · 29 Sep 2015 at 21:19

Yea - I'd be interested too Illgresi.

Illgresi · 29 Sep 2015 at 21:41

Jokester said:
Try the chinese food shop on Causewayend Illgresi, I think they have this one there.

Matthew's foods yeh, that's where I go for Lemongrass and Galangal etc.

Did a bit of research and placed an order for this.

Apparently it's pure coconut and water, and unhomogenised in can form. Will give this a try!

chipperhead · 6 Oct 2015 at 23:05

Aldi coconut milk does this.

FrenchTart · 15 Oct 2015 at 20:03

I've been making a few Thai curries since this post inspired me and my most recent test with Pride I definitely had a separation. The top layer was extremely thick so perhaps this is the thing you had an issue with Illgresi. My solution was to run a knife around the edges and then essentially stab a blunt knife/spoon into it and pull it out that way. Seemed to work pretty well.

rexehuk · 15 Oct 2015 at 21:10

Red Amoy coconut milk does this. Available in all supermarkets.

One thing to look at when buying coconut milk, is the % coconut used. This varies somewhat wildly, from 15 to 80% and even more amusingly some of the most expensive, have the LEAST amount of actual coconut in!

Read labels.

Illgresi · 16 Oct 2015 at 14:21

Thanks for the suggestions. I took delivery of the Aroy D stuff I mentioned above. Unfortunately the cans were loose, and had obviously been rolling around in the van, so they hadn't seperated too well when they arrived. However I stuck one in the fridge for a couple of days and it did begin to settle. I tried cracking it, and it worked well!

Once I get my uni work out of the way, I'll crack on with the thread!