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Coconut milk in curry

ellejay

Hi there

I made a basic curry over the weekend.

It tasted fine right up until I added the coconut milk.
It left a sour taste in the curry.
Should that happen?

The tin of coconut milk was on offer at 65 cent in tesco, so maybe the coconut milk was off or something.

I don't really make curry's or use coconut milk so thanks in advance for advice.

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the purple tin

I've used the Tesco coconut milk before and it is grand. I think your prolem was using the light milk like some posters have said already.
Light milk is rubbish, always use the full-fat version even if it says to use light in the recipe.

rubadub

I don't even bother putting mae ploy in the fridge all the time, I can be stuck for room, I cut one corner of the bag and pipe it out like icing. My yellow is 14.3% salt, if I managed to grow mold in that I'd be looking for a nobel prize for my discovery.

the green one
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/product/details/?id=263413777

Best Before : See top of lid
Store in cool, dry place. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 6 month.

HeidiHeidi

CJhaughey wrote: »

Is it Mae Ploy brand?
I have a few tubs of that in the fridge, Red, Green, Massaman and they stay perfectly fine in there for a long time. 1yr+
If you use it infrequently then maybe freeze some.

I have a giant tub of green curry paste in my fridge as well for ages - I seal the bag up well and close it tight, and it's still going strong about a year later. Hope I don't poison myself some time with it! Never even thought of freezing it! Might do that with some of it now, even at this late stage....

CJhaughey

woodchuck wrote: »

My Mam dropped over ONE KILOGRAM of thai green curry paste to me today :eek: It says to use it within a couple of weeks of opening... that's obviously not going to happen :P So I plan to freeze the paste in portions. I don't anticipate any issues, but has anyone done this before and have any words of wisdom?

For what it's worth, I've never had any issues with coconut splitting or spoiling a sauce. I've used both Tesco and Lidl and wasn't too particular about what I picked. It's always possible that you just got a dud of a tin...

Is it Mae Ploy brand?
I have a few tubs of that in the fridge, Red, Green, Massaman and they stay perfectly fine in there for a long time. 1yr+
If you use it infrequently then maybe freeze some.

tscul32

woodchuck wrote: »

My Mam dropped over ONE KILOGRAM of thai green curry paste to me today :eek: It says to use it within a couple of weeks of opening... that's obviously not going to happen :P So I plan to freeze the paste in portions. I don't anticipate any issues, but has anyone done this before and have any words of wisdom?

For what it's worth, I've never had any issues with coconut splitting or spoiling a sauce. I've used both Tesco and Lidl and wasn't too particular about what I picked. It's always possible that you just got a dud of a tin...

We've always frozen homemade curry pastes. Ice cube trays are perfect for the job.

woodchuck

My Mam dropped over ONE KILOGRAM of thai green curry paste to me today :eek: It says to use it within a couple of weeks of opening... that's obviously not going to happen :P So I plan to freeze the paste in portions. I don't anticipate any issues, but has anyone done this before and have any words of wisdom?

For what it's worth, I've never had any issues with coconut splitting or spoiling a sauce. I've used both Tesco and Lidl and wasn't too particular about what I picked. It's always possible that you just got a dud of a tin...

Rows Grower

Have plenty of both Lidl versions here and the light is 45% coconut extract while the full fat is 82%.

The full has 5 times the amount of salt than the light, over twice the protein and 21 grams of fat compared to 13.2.

The quality of Lidl and Aldi products are as good as any of the expensive brands, sometimes a lot better.

marklazarcovic

have a block of coconut cream in the press,and shave some in near the end,adds a delicious creamy ooomph.

Dial Hard

Well it can separate in the can too. Looks weird but there's nothing wrong with it. I always give the can a good shake before I open it.

I can't say I've ever come across a tin of coconut milk that was rancid or had been compromised by air.

RebelButtMunch

Alun wrote: »

I believe it can go rancid if exposed to air just like normal milk. I suppose it's possible the tin had "popped" and air had got in.

That's happened to me. I opened up the tin and it was visibly not right looking.

CJhaughey

Light coconut milk is the biggest scam ever, half fill a tin with coconut milk and the other half with water!
The powdered coconut milk Santan is handy to have on hand because you can make it as thick or thin as you require.

rubadub

This is a 3 year old post about coconut milk in lidl

rubadub wrote: »

A random google search found this old thread about coconut milk no longer being in lidl

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057535215

it is back in lidl, not sure how long, I noticed the last month or so, it is relatively high % coconut and only 99cent it is "82% coconut". Recently in a reasonably priced Asian shop they had coconut milk specifically advertised as "rich" 80+% stuff and it was over 1.50euro while other lower % tins were 99c or so. Suree brand. They had other lower % stuff of the same brand.

Amoy is on offer in tesco, 1.50 for 400ml but only 55% coconut extract. 172kcal per 100ml
17.3g fat per 100ml
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=251978322

blue dragon is also on offer, 1.33 for 400ml, 56% and 155kcal per 100ml
15g fat per 100ml
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=252486194 that blue dragon drops to 99c ("half price") in tesco every few months but I do not consider it great value.

This shows how they are not just watered down versions of each other -if they were the 56% should have more calories than the 55%. The lower % one is higher in oil so higher in calories, so you cannot compare just on % coconut (taste is obviously a whole other ballgame when comparing).

tesco own brand is just 51% and 151kcal per 100ml
15g fat per 100ml ,but 99c
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=289660927

so if stuck with only tesco I might buy the own brand. You can open the tin and pour off and discard or drink the watery stuff.

But my lidl "freshona" 99c is 400ml and "82% coconut", 21g fat per 100ml and 210kcal per 100ml.

TL:DR lidl coconut milk is cheap and less "watered down" than other brands so good value IMO

values can change though, but point stands about the extract not being the only thing to watch. An analogy would be pasta sauces having a certain % of "tomato puree", but one tomato puree could have used a lot more tomato per gram than another.

The post below was from July this year so likely the same, lidl stuff, I think 91% is the highest I have ever heard of.

pigtail33 wrote: »

The Freshona Coconut Milk is amazing. 91% coconut extract, so it's really thick and creamy.

HeidiHeidi

Marcusm wrote: »

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I’ve used the Aldi one before and can agree that it is excellent.

What brand is that one? (I've no idea if there's a choice, but I'm going to go looking for it now based on recommendations here!)

Marcusm

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tscul32 wrote: »

I just checked the tins I have in my kitchen. Tesco full fat is 51% coconut extract. The one from Aldi is 76%.

I’ve used the Aldi one before and can agree that it is excellent.

rubadub

Rows Grower wrote: »

Anytime I've used cornflour I just added it dry, sprinkled it on to the curry in the wok, stirred it in well and left it to do it's magic on the simmer.

mine was always a disaster doing that, only did it 3-4 times and never again, the cold water trick never failed. If it was hot it just clumped instantly into little balls. I had to fish them out, or I think I liquidised one, or had to try and mash it with a spoon against the side of the pot.

I prefer using potato starch now, but still always use the cold water method.

brick tamland

tscul32 wrote: »

I just checked the tins I have in my kitchen. Tesco full fat is 51% coconut extract. The one from Aldi is 76%.

Yeah the Tesco stuff isn't great. Bought it recently and found it very watery. Aldi one is much better.

tscul32

If I need to thicken an Indian curry I just sprinkle in some ground almonds. Adds a nice depth to the flavour too.

Rows Grower

Dial Hard wrote: »

Best way to thicken with cornflour is to mix a tablespoon of it with a tablespoon of cold water til smooth, then stir into your dish. Use it sparingly, though, or it can turn things very gloopy.

If you've ever had a weirdly thick but unsubstantial veg soup at a function, it's been thickened liberally with cornflour.

Anytime I've used cornflour I just added it dry, sprinkled it on to the curry in the wok, stirred it in well and left it to do it's magic on the simmer.

Dial Hard

Best way to thicken with cornflour is to mix a tablespoon of it with a tablespoon of cold water til smooth, then stir into your dish. Use it sparingly, though, or it can turn things very gloopy.

If you've ever had a weirdly thick but unsubstantial veg soup at a function, it's been thickened liberally with cornflour.

AllForIt

Rows Grower wrote: »

You might as well have just poured it over the meal when it was on the plate.

You should let it simmer for a good while, stir it well at the start and then again every so often. Sometimes when using the light version I add a bit of cornflour near the end if it's too watery and needs a bit of thickening.

Give it another go.

I find the light version just as tasty in a curry as the full fat but the only thing I don't like is that it's a little bit watery. Same thing for low fat yohurt, it tastes fine especially when you mix something in with it but it's just the texture is a bit thin.

I never thought to thicken it with with cornflour, do you just throw it in? Then again I'm not sure if I want to replace fat for carbs but could give it a try one time to see how it goes. Actually I think I have poured away some of the water once but that gives less sauce. They should do a medium fat one.

feelings

I find this as well, no matter the brand.

kylith wrote: »

IME light coconut milk has a tendency to split when heated.

tscul32

I just checked the tins I have in my kitchen. Tesco full fat is 51% coconut extract. The one from Aldi is 76%.

HeidiHeidi

Dial Hard wrote: »

Thai green curry is one of the easiest things in the world to make, all you need is a decent paste, coconut milk and whatever veg & meat you want.

This! I was afraid of it for years, and only recently realised how stupidly easy it is!

Most of those noodle bar places in Dublin sell the paste and good coconut milk for cheap enough prices.

Dial Hard

ellejay wrote: »

I've only discovered curries late in life as I wrongly thought - from a Childs memory - they they just burn your throat as you swallow so how could you take enjoyment from that.

I don't really like that takeaway sauce type of curry but I thought it's better than nothing for cooking at home

Thai Green curry in the local pub - loved it but even I know you're not meant to have balls of powder in it!
I've had a massaman curry in Siam Thai in dundrum, that was lovely.
Butter chicken in a local take away - love it.
Also had a Korma and Tickka Masala - gorgeous.

Did you put coconut milk in with sauce made from McDonnell's powder???

I think your best bet is to look up and try some recipes for actual curries, like the ones you listed above. What you made is not a curry, sorry.

Thai green curry is one of the easiest things in the world to make, all you need is a decent paste, coconut milk and whatever veg & meat you want.

Alun

ginoginelli wrote: »

Actually in many thai curries the aim is to curdle it to release the oils.

I've never heard of that before. Some recipes I've used call for "frying" the coconut milk with the spices at the start which will result in the oil separating from the solids although I'm not sure if that's the same thing.

ginoginelli

Alun wrote: »

Reading some of the recipes above, the one thing you definitely don't want to be doing to coconut milk is boiling it :eek: Simmer gently by all means, but boiling it will curdle it. and you don't want that.

Actually in many thai curries the aim is to curdle it to release the oils. This is difficult with most of the supermarket coconut milks because of the xantham gum added during the canning process. An exception to this would be coconut lite - which is very weak.

Most restaurants here use chaokoh, it's high quality and won't split when boiled unless directly simmered in oil.

amadangomor

ellejay wrote: »

I've only discovered curries late in life as I wrongly thought - from a Childs memory - they they just burn your throat as you swallow so how could you take enjoyment from that.

I don't really like that takeaway sauce type of curry but I thought it's better than nothing for cooking at home

Thai Green curry in the local pub - loved it but even I know you're not meant to have balls of powder in it!
I've had a massaman curry in Siam Thai in dundrum, that was lovely.
Butter chicken in a local take away - love it.
Also had a Korma and Tickka Masala - gorgeous.

You need to move on to a Vindaloo or even a Phall. Chili induced endorphins are addictive when you move over to the hot side

Rows Grower

ellejay wrote: »

I added it near the end, simmer for about 5 mins.
I'd say more sour than bitter, as if I added buttermilk

You might as well have just poured it over the meal when it was on the plate.

You should let it simmer for a good while, stir it well at the start and then again every so often. Sometimes when using the light version I add a bit of cornflour near the end if it's too watery and needs a bit of thickening.

Give it another go.

HeidiHeidi

looksee wrote: »

Coconut milk in curry is lovely, certainly not sour. I used use those little sachets that you liquify with hot water before the tinned milk became so readily available. Creamier the better though, the light stuff is a waste of time.

I would second (or third or fourth) this..... use the full fat decent version, and just make the portions a bit smaller if you're worried about calories. Mind you, that's harder to do when it's tastier!

looksee

Coconut milk in curry is lovely, certainly not sour. I used use those little sachets that you liquify with hot water before the tinned milk became so readily available. Creamier the better though, the light stuff is a waste of time.