If you enjoy foods with a creamy, slightly nutty texture, coconut milk is probably one of your kitchen staples. It can be used in all sorts of different dishes, from soups and dips to desserts and oatmeal, but it’s important to avoid a couple of common mistakes when cooking with it.
Sweetened Variety
You may be tempted to buy sweetened coconut milk to skip adding other sweeteners to your dish, but this is completely unnecessary. Coconut milk is naturally sweet, and buying milk that contains added sugar won’t do you any favors.
Coconut Cream Switch
Coconut cream is pretty similar to coconut milk and can be used to make pudding, whipped cream, and much more, but they’re not interchangeable. If your recipe specifically calls for milk, don’t buy coconut cream instead because its texture is much thicker.
Stirring and Storing
When buying canned coconut milk, it’s important to shake it and gently stir it so that you won’t mix the rich, creamy part from the top with the rest. If you don’t use all the milk at once, refrigerate it in an airtight container instead of leaving it in the can, so it wouldn’t develop a metallic taste.
