We've got you covered if you're interested in trying out some new dishes made with coconut milk. Some parts, primarily the Southern region of India, have perfected the use of coconut milk to enhance the flavour of dishes. Nevertheless, just like its diversity in everything else, the country's cuisine has delicacies from other corners, too, with lavish use of coconut milk. All you need to do to enjoy one of these curries is to prepare some rice and a spoon of ghee over it. To end the meal, nothing can be more divine than a dessert with a creamy appeal.
For the nonvegetarians:
Meen kulambu
The South Indian meen kulambu fish curry is a delicious and healthy dish. Curry leaves, tamarind, and coconut milk create a rich sauce for this fish feed. Make it with any white fish fillets on hand, whether fresh from the market or defrosted from the freezer. The fragrance of fresh curry leaves and the nutty taste of creamy coconut milk blend an irresistible flavour.
Chingri malai curry
This Bengali speciality, a creamy prawn curry, is commonly referred to by its shorthand term, Malai prawn. Ideally, the prawns (or jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined) with their heads on are braised in a rich coconut milk stew and seasoned with whole spices. To give your guests a taste of the Indian subcontinent, serve it with coconut rice.
For vegetarians:
Kerala style veg stew
Served over cooked rice for a hearty and nutritious vegan or vegetarian main dish made with cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and potato simmered in a simple and delicious coconut milk stew. Fantastic taste is imparted to this healthy recipe by the use of pepper, whole spices such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger paste and curry leaves.
Potato and peas in coconut milk
If you're trying to avoid eating nonveg, this vegetarian curry is a delicious option for lunch. The base of the dish is aromatic spices, coconut milk, potatoes and shelled green peas. The best part is that this gravy has minimal fieriness. So, it is safe for children to eat. Serve it with Milagu jeera Sadam or a light, fluffy roti.
Konkani solkadhi
Coconut milk and kokum, aamsol, or aamsul, the dried fleshy skin of Garcinia indica ('ratambe' in Marathi), are used to create this popular refreshing drink along the coasts of Goa, southern Maharashtra, and northern Karnataka. The anthocyanin pigments in the Garcinia Indica skin are responsible for the drink's distinctive purple-pink hue. The beverage is either consumed with rice or as a post-meal beverage to aid digestion. It may also be served with Amlechi Uddamethi or Sangacho Ross, two Goan-style delicacies.
For sweet tooth
Unakkalari payasam
Unakkalari payasam, Image Source: Instagram
Indulge in this warm and soothing dish that fills the house with its familiar fragrances while simmers on the stovetop. The rice is a visual and textural treat, simmered in a mixture of spices (cinnamon, ginger, and cloves), coconut milk, golden raisins, and sweetened coconut flakes. Cook this speciality of the Malabar region, the brown rice or unakkalari payasam. Typically, it is prepared during Onam celebrations. Brown rice's mild earthy flavour is exquisite when combined with coconut milk and jaggery.
Numerous fantastic dishes like these feature coconut milk, an ingredient beloved for its smoothness and unusual flavour. Try out a few of these from the list above in your kitchen, and let us know which ones you enjoyed most.