If you’re a fan of Asian cooking, you’ll already know how crucial it is to use the right liquid coconut product in certain dishes. But many newbies to the Asian kitchen aren’t aware of the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream…
Like cream and milk, to cows…
Coconut milk is to coconuts as skimmed milk is to cows. But coconut cream is more analogous to Half-And-Half. That’s the simple explanation, but there’s more to it than that!
Both are at home in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, China, India, Polynesia, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa. And both are commonly used in creamy dishes such as curries, soups and desserts. But they cannot be substi-tuted casually for each other.
Coconut milk
This is an opaque white liquid made from grated coconut flesh and water. It’s a thinnish, creamy-textured preparation. Coconut milk comes up in recipes where a thin consistency is desired but the flavour of coconut is still important.
Coconut Cream
Coconut Cream is also made from water and coconut flesh – but there’s a lot more flesh in the mix. and the texture is more like condensed milk. It’s used in dishes where it’s coconut flavour is desired, as well as it’s thickening power. Coconut flesh is starchy and can thicken liquids considerably when cooked. It’s the same mechanism as when you thicken gravies or sauces with Roux or a flour slurry.
Coconut cream is also more likely to show up in sweet dishes and desserts, thanks to its richer coconut flavour.
What’s Cream of Coconut?
You can think of this product as a sweetened version of coconut cream, or a thickened (reduced-down) version of coconut milk.
“Cream of coconut is a sweetened coconut product with a thicker consistency than coconut milk,” Thai reataurant owner Chat Suansilphong told CNN. “It’s often used in cocktails and desserts like pina coladas, and coconut cakes for its intense coconut flavor and sweetness.”
Choose the right product
The differences in the various coconut ‘milk’ products break down under two headings: thickness and sweetness. And as you’ve probably no0ted already, an increased amount of one factor doesn’t necessarily mean a corresponding increase of the other.
For example, coconut milk is thinnest and least sweet. Coconut cream is thickest, but only second sweetest. Cream of coconut is medium-thick, but boasts the most sweetness.
My take
It’s clear that you need to use the right coconut ‘milk’ product to achieve the proper result in any dish that calls for one of these liquids. Substitution will usually lead to disaster.
But don’t let that dissuade you from exploring the world of sumptuous dishes which coconut milk and/or cream make unique!
~ Maggie J.