coconut milk

[nana]

how long is it okay to use once it is opened .....where do i find it w/o guar gum so i can make coconut whipped cream

[Samster]

It should be mentioned on the container and it's usually one to two weeks. I believe Whole Foods carry their own brand (365) of organic coconut milk with no additives at all. I'll double check on that this weekend. I need some, too.

[Susan W]

I use what I need and then put the rest in a different container. I have kept it up to 7 days with no problem.

[Egre4926]

Unfortunately whole foods 365 brand has guar gum in it (as did the 3 other brands my local one carried). It only has coconut, water & guar gum in it

[nana]

does any one make whipped coconut cream out of the kind with guar gum

[ChildoftheKing7777]

Another coconut milk question: how do you use it?? When a recipe calls for it, and you open the can, it's part water, part solid, what do you do? Just stir with a fork? A wire wisk?

[Susan W]

If it calls for the entire can, I just dump it all in. If it calls for a portion, I just use the top part and may or may not include some of the water.

[Kirsteen]

If I only want some of it i usually dump it in the blender. Someone else also suggested sitting the can in warm water to melt the creamy part and then giving it a good shake.

[Physibeth]

I often will pour it into another large jar, secure the lid, and shake it until it is all combined. I've been finding it hard to find them without guar gum as well.

[Emily Chiu]

Another coconut milk question: how do you use it?? When a recipe calls for it, and you open the can, it's part water, part solid, what do you do? Just stir with a fork? A wire wisk?

Coconut milk normally separates in the can. The watery part is on the bottom, while the fattier cream is on top. It's just like any liquid with fat that cools: the fat is lighter and congeals on the top. Use a whisk or a fork or chopsticks!

[Emily Chiu]

Storing coconut milk: According to StillTasty.com, an opened container of coconut milk will be good in the fridge for 4-6 days, stored in a glass or plastic container. It freezes well and can be stored that way for 2-3 months. Coconut does go bad so when in doubt, throw it out! (http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16916).

Where to buy coconut milk: The absolute best place to buy coconut milk for a reasonable price $1-2 a can is the Asian grocer. They should have at least a few brands. The most popular is Aroy-D which comes from Thailand. Aroy-D has several varieties of coconut milk, including ones labelled low-fat, for dessert, etc. Read the label as some contain preservatives / sulfites. Apparently the one in the carton does not (like this one : http://importfood.com/naturalcoconutmilk.html), but I've seen Aroy-D in black cans whose ingredients' list include only coconut and water.

Making Whipped Cream from Coconut Milk: See this article, http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-whipped-cream-from-152490.

My credientals: I'm Asian, an obsessed foodie, a good cook, a daughter of a chef and worked 10 years in an Asian grocery store.

Cheers!