COOKING WITH COCONUT
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO EXTRACT COCONUT’S SWEET SUBSTANCE
NORMALLY THE COCONUT IS SQUEEZED TWICE. THE FIRST PRESSING IS DONE WITHOUT ADDING WATER
Coconut cream, or kati, has long been an indispensable part of Thai cuisine, both for cooking dishes and making desserts. Thai people cleverly invented traditional utensils to extract milk from coconut meat. The tools have been continuously developed to render the utmost convenience to consumers — from handmade utensils in earlier days, to mechanical graters, electric coconut milk extractors, pasteurised coconut milk in pouches and boxes widely available in the market today. The coconut milk industry is growing constantly because the products help consumers save time and labour, and they are very handy to use.
But at industrial scale, food science and technology is unavoidably applied in order to reduce cost, enhance appearance and extend the shelf life of the products. Last February Chaladsue (Smart Consumers) magazine, which safeguards consumers’ rights, conducted a study on coconut milk products and found that many wellknown brands as well as those produced by small-scale vendors in fresh markets were contaminated with food preservatives, namely sorbic acid and benzoic acid. The chemical was added to stabilise thickness of coconut cream and extend its shelf life. This same preservative is added in fake lime juice to make it look turbid like the authentic. However, the level of chemical application did not exceed the limit regulated by law. In practice, most buyers tend to ignore product descriptions on the label. They only care about the ease of buying, storing and using.
This article will not discuss which is better between fresh coconut milk and the ready-to-use, because it all depends on the preference of individual users. Instead, it will discuss coconut graters. A traditional tool commonly used to grate coconut flesh in the past is called kratai kuud maphrao. The person who is grating coconut has to sit on it sideways and lean forward slightly. It might look awkward but that is the most effective way to do it. It got the name kratai because most of them were shaped like a rabbit. Some were made to resemble piglets, some made to look like a man in a stooping position. A large collection of coconut graters varied in shapes and designs are displayed at an exhibition titled “Kratai Kuud Maphrao”, at the Institute of Southeast Studies in Songkhla province. The objects reflect how significant they were as a part of the traditional Thai way of life.
The kratai may look outdated to some, but they are still used by people living in southern provinces. In the central region, the first generations of electric graters were square wooden boxes with an opening on the top to insert coconut flesh. There was a blade inside by which the coconut was shredded into tiny pieces. Most often, coconut-grating machines were seen installed near or inside curry paste and seasoning shops. Buyers could buy curry paste and coconut at the same place and bring them back home to extract fresh coconut milk themselves.
A tip to extract coconut milk is using warm water. Normally the coconut is squeezed twice. The first pressing is done without adding water. It gives concentrated milk called hua kati (the head). Then some water is added and the coconut is pressed for the second time. The thinner kati will come out and it is called hang kati (the tail).
In the old days, red curry was made by frying hang kati with curry paste until it became thick and fragrant before adding meat and seasoning to obtain the preferred flavour. After that, the hua kati was added along with vegetables. Adding concentrated coconut milk at later steps of cooking gives the curry a creamy-sweet taste with no floating fat.
In addition to the mechanical coconut graters, electric coconut milk extractors were later invented. Shredded coconut and some water is put in a thick cloth bag and pressed by the machine to extract hua kati. Then some more water is added in the bag and pressed again to obtain hang kati. Today, more modern stainless-steel squeezing machines are introduced. This machine does not have a cloth bag. It is more efficient and more hygienic than its predecessor. The price of kati made from this latest model is slightly higher, but consumers are happy to pay for it, as they feel more confident in the quality.
The advantage of coconut milk pressed manually or extracted by squeezing machines is freshness, fragrance and creamy-sweet taste. The weak point is it must be used at once; otherwise it can spoil rather quickly.
This is why villagers living far away from the market still keep the kratai to grate coconut and extract kati by themselves. If they buy coconut milk from the market, it is likely to go bad by the time it reaches home. In addition, there is no electric coconut grater and coconut milk extractor in some markets in the more remote areas. People have no option, so they adhere to the tradition.
Packaged and pasteurised coconut milk is manufactured to serve people looking for convenience and speed. But this is traded for inferior freshness and quality. Consumers have plenty of options to choose from. If they wish to get a super-fresh, untainted coconut milk, they will have to go through a little hardship and inconvenience.