How to use up the remains of a can of coconut milk

The Guardian

18-02-2025

I rarely use a whole tin of coconut milk in one go. What can I do with the leftovers?Happily, the warming sweetness of coconut milk is welcome in all the things you want to eat right now, sitting at home in your thermals (Curry! Soup!), meaning leftovers are no bad thing. When Mandy Yin, chef-owner of Sambal Shiok in north London, is faced with this same predicament, it usually means coconut rice: 'It's so straightforward, too: just replace half the water you'd need to cook the rice with coconut milk.' Otherwise, the excess milk could make an appearance in stews, even bolognese, or creamed spinach, she adds: 'Replace the cream with coconut milk and a dash of fish sauce, and that's really delicious.'
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Coconut milk is, of course, a fundamental ingredient in Sri Lankan cooking. 'You'll find kiri hodi, a coconut milk-based sauce infused with garlic, turmeric and pandan leaf, in 90% of kitchens in Sri Lanka,' says Eroshan Meewella, co-founder of Kolamba in London, and he recommends you do the same. 'The turmeric and garlic balance the quite creamy, quite sweet coconut milk, and it pairs beautifully with rice or crusty bread.'
Another way to work through what's left in the tin is soup, especially if butternut squash or lentils are on the agenda. 'You can jazz up a shop-bought one by melting coconut oil in a pan, then frying tempering spices [curry leaves, red chilli, mustard seeds, fenugreek] for a few minutes, and stirring that into the hot soup,' says Karan Gokani, director of Hoppers in London. That will make it 'nice and spicy', then go in with a splash of coconut milk to mellow out proceedings to taste.
And, of course, there are also curries. For a simple yet satisfying week night meal, Yin's formula goes like this: 'Blitz onions and chilli powder, then fry that down, and add coconut milk, cabbage, carrots, green beans or whatever vegetables you have.'
Saiphin Moore, co-founder of Rosa's Thai, meanwhile, leans towards a red curry, or chu chi. 'Fry curry paste until it's fragrant, then add half a can of coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until the mix turns deep red and the oil separates from the coconut milk.' Fry some fish – 'salmon or sea bass works well' – then drizzle with the sauce. And if prawns are more your thing, Arun Tilka, executive chef at Dishoom, heats mustard seeds, curry leaves, fresh ginger (julienned) and slit green chillies in oil. 'Add chopped red onions, saute until translucent, then stir in powdered spices [turmeric, coriander, red chilli].' Stir in some tomato puree followed by the prawns and, finally, coconut milk: 'Bring all that to a boil, then finish with lime juice and chopped coriander.'
Coconut milk isn't solely for dinner, mind. 'I use it instead of milk in porridge for a tropical feel,' says Yin, who tops cooked oats with chopped tinned pineapple and brown sugar. 'If you don't want it quite so coconutty, use half coconut milk and half milk.' The white stuff also adds depth to desserts: 'Thick coconut milk with a bit of jaggery [palm sugar] and salt makes a nice, rich sauce to pour over cakes or jelly,' Gokani says.
Alternatively, he, says, head to the bar: 'Freeze leftover coconut milk in ice cube trays, ready to blend into cocktails.' Piña colada, anyone?
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