To start the New Year fresh and clean I’d like to present you a recipe from Meredith Baird’s Coconut Kitchen, one of my Christmas books. During the summer holidays in Bali I had the chance to literally get immersed in the endless benefits of the coconut, from delicately perfumed body oils, emerald green coconut herbal oil against mosquito bites and sunburn to fresh coconut water and Dadar cakes for breakfast….

Christmas time has been too busy to start out trying new recipes, yet I went reading the delights-to-come before falling asleep.  Today I made my first homemade coconut milk. The big advantage to store-bought milk is that it contains much less fat. It’s fresh and tasty, similar to skimmed milk or homemade almond milk with a light coconut flavour.

homemade coconut milk

2 cups shredded coconut, or 1 cup young coconut meat
4 cups water, or more or less depending how thick you would like it
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or scrapings of 1/2 vanilla bean
2 dates

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Run through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.
Makes 4 cups. Fresh coconut milk lasts up to five days in the fridge. Shake well before serving.