Freezing Coconut Milk - How To Do Everything Right

Freeze coconut milk - practical portioning and storage

Coconut milk, what is it exactly?

Coconut products are - apart from desiccated coconut - still not an everyday ingredient in the kitchen in this country. Therefore, the difference between coconut water, coconut milk and coconut cream should be briefly explained here, as they are often confused with one another. This makes it clear what the following text is not only referring to by name.

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The liquid that is inside the coconut is called coconut water. It is clear, almost transparent.

Coconut milk is white in color and a little thick. It must first be made from the coconut. To do this, the pulp is ground and then squeezed.

The cream that is made from coconut milk is called coconut cream or coconut cream because of its consistency. If coconut milk is left at home for a few days, the cream will settle on the surface by itself.

Coconut milk can be frozen

Coconut milk is usually packaged and sold in 400 ml cans. You can find them in every well-stocked supermarket and in Asian stores. But you can also easily make your own coconut milk from fresh coconut meat or dried coconut flakes.

When cooking with coconut, there is often a quantity problem:

a can contains far more content than is needed
the in-house production cannot be done to the gram
Open coconut milk must be used within two days

Regardless of whether the milk comes from a shop or is self-made, any leftover leftovers can be frozen at any time.

Tips

In organic shops, smaller cans of coconut milk are now also being offered.

Weigh and portion appropriately

The coconut milk is usually required in a certain amount, as required by the corresponding recipe. Since coconut milk is difficult to dose when frozen, it should be weighed and frozen in portions. Write the weighed weight on the freezer container so that you can see at a glance whether the amount is sufficient for your cooking project.

Coconut milk in practical ice cube size

If the required amount varies again and again, it is a good idea to freeze the coconut milk in particularly small portions. By defrosting several portions, the desired amount can be put together very easily.

Fill an ice cube tray with coconut milk.
Place the container in the freezer for several hours.
Remove the frozen cubes from the container and collect them in a freezer bag to save space.

Shelf life of coconut milk

There are no exact times for the shelf life in the freezer. However, many experiences show that it can be used for a very long time when frozen.

Cooking with and without thawing

Frozen coconut milk pieces can be added directly to cooking food. Smaller portions, such as the size of an ice cube, can be thawed within 30 minutes. It should be noted that the fatty portion of the coconut milk becomes a bit crumbly when it is frozen. If the milk is heated and vigorously stirred, it will dissolve again.

Conclusion for quick readers

Canned goods: freeze any leftovers immediately after opening
In-house production: Homemade coconut milk can also be frozen
Portioning: If small quantities are required, portioning before freezing makes sense
Weighing: Weighing the quantities according to the recipes used; label
Tip: Pre-freeze in the ice cube tray; Store cubes in freezer
Durability: Experience has shown that it remains durable for a long time
Thawing: Small portions thaw in approx. 30 minutes; or add to cooking dishes
Consistency: can become crumbly; Heat if necessary and stir until smooth