any Thai chefs out there? i have a coconut question...

[Bergweiserus]

hi- to who it may concern 

i have been preparing coconut milk/curry w/vegtables and shrimp and only sometimes chicken...but
my problem is i always seem to lose the coconut flavor in the dish somehow.  with the curry and
spices, the coconut flavor gets lost.
i remember my freind Denise from HI used to make the most delicious coconut tasting dishes,
but i've not been able to come close to it....there seems to be some sort or secret going on that i
don't know about....
any ideas?  thanks in advance!!

[NAKID]

Dude, you disappear for months at a time, then your next post is about Thai food, not motorcycles?



How ya doin Kris?

[He Man]

most resturants i know of, use a coconut flavorer to enhance the flavor of it. which is why its so damn strong. Whens the last time you had a coconut that smelled like a night out with a bottle of 99 Coconuts? (no they dont make that,but inmagine they did!)

Or you can try a different coconut.

I only know this cause i renovated a thai resturant and the chef let me hang back there one day.

[JohnnyDucati]

 

Harry Nilsson - Coconut (1971)

[somegirl]

You can buy coconut flavor as an extract (similar to vanilla extract or almond extract), as He Man mentioned.

Are you putting the coconut milk in at the beginning?  How about adding it more towards the end of cooking?

[JohnnyDucati]

I am so sorry friends, but, come on.  Discussions of coconuts on a Saturday night on a motorcycle forum?

Throw in a good dose of insomnia and I can't help myself.  I have to have to have to post this link . . . 



Monty Python-Coconuts

[Kopfjäger]

http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/Ingredients/coconut_milk.htm

[Bergweiserus]

Dude, you disappear for months at a time, then your next post is about Thai food, not motorcycles?



How ya doin Kris?

oh snap!  hahaha.... yes, that was kind of 'nerdly' of me.  Although, i have been on the Accessories & Mods section talking about doing the tail-chop on my mom's 696 

i've been good, thanks Chris!  i've been laying kinda low....it's been raining here from april until a week ago, so i've been spending all my spare time on the bike.  feels great.

how have you been? 

[Bergweiserus]

most resturants i know of, use a coconut flavorer to enhance the flavor of it. which is why its so damn strong. Whens the last time you had a coconut that smelled like a night out with a bottle of 99 Coconuts? (no they dont make that,but inmagine they did!)
Or you can try a different coconut.
I only know this cause i renovated a thai resturant and the chef let me hang back there one day.

You can buy coconut flavor as an extract (similar to vanilla extract or almond extract), as He Man mentioned.

Are you putting the coconut milk in at the beginning?  How about adding it more towards the end of cooking?

thanks!  i didn't know about the flavorer additive.  maybe i'll try some...i'm not going for the overpowering suntan oil flavor, but just a little more pronounced 

[Bergweiserus]

I am so sorry friends, but, come on.  Discussions of coconuts on a Saturday night on a motorcycle forum?
Throw in a good dose of insomnia and I can't help myself.  I have to have to have to post this link . . . 

hahahahaa....   Sorry!!!!     

[Bergweiserus]

http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/Ingredients/coconut_milk.htm

great site!  thanks 

maybe i'll start using more 'regular' milk instead of the 'lite' i've been using.  i've got cans of both....

[NAKID]

oh snap!  hahaha.... yes, that was kind of 'nerdly' of me.  Although, i have been on the Accessories & Mods section talking about doing the tail-chop on my mom's 696 

i've been good, thanks Chris!  i've been laying kinda low....it's been raining here from april until a week ago, so i've been spending all my spare time on the bike.  feels great.

how have you been? 

Ahh, musta missed that. I don't really have a reason to read 696 threads. I've been good. iving in CT now. Gorgeous day today. End of June and less than 80 degrees is AMAZING!

[DesmoLu]

Back to the question of the coconut flavor....

To get the real coconut flavor you need high quality coconut milk. None of that "Light" stuff and pretty much nothing with English writing on it. Find your nearest Asian market and buy it there (it's much cheaper too). Also, make coconut rice for your curry - use a can of coconut milk in place of half of the water in your jasmine rice.
You also need to use the proper Asian spices to bring out the flavor - subtle but key. Asian Fish Sauce and Kaffir lime leaves go a long way in giving you the authentic flavor + lemongrass. Some of the ingredients are tough to find if you don't go to an Asian market. Try to find real cane sugar for your curry as well as American sugar has no flavor but the sweetness overpowers the subtle coconut flavors.

Most importantly, whatever you do, do NOT use coconut extract. There is not such thing as real coconut extract - it's imitation. It will give your food that weird fake taste that can only be tasty with massive amounts of sugar and your curry will be about as authentic as the requisite Asian dish from the Cheesecake factory menu.

Hope that helps!

[He Man]

theres imitation coconut extract, and the real stuff. the real stuff isnt anywhere near as potent.

AS with the non english coconut milk. Desmolu is right. However...try to buy a brand that is made in the islands. like carribeian, vietnam, etc.

coconut milk, jasmine rice. shit. im getting hungry.

[cyrus buelton]

+1 on shopping at the asian grocery, that is where we always shop when preparing an asian meal (sans the meat).

Also shop at the mexi grocery stores when preparing mexican food (sans the meat as well).