Coconut Milk, Cream and Grated Pulp

The ingredient table from grated-pulp extraction to oil content — what each form is, how fatty it is, and where it belongs.

Every coconut ingredient in a home kitchen starts from the same place: the grated pulp of a mature nut. What changes is how much water is added, how many times the pulp is pressed, and whether the result is left to separate.

The first press gives thick coconut milk, opaque and heavy, with roughly 15–22% fat. It is the form used where coconut should lead — a curry base, a custard, a glaze finished off the heat.

Re-soaking the pulp and pressing again gives thin coconut milk, around 5–10% fat. This is the cooking liquid: it simmers rice, fish, vegetables and pulses without turning them heavy.

Left to stand, thick milk separates into an upper layer of coconut cream at about 20–25% fat and a thinner lower layer. Coconut cream is used at the end of cooking, off the heat, where it will not split.

Grated coconut itself is the pulp before pressing: fresh shreds run about 30–35% fat, while dried shreds are concentrated at roughly 60–65% fat and behave very differently in a batter.

Coconut oil is the fat pressed clear of the pulp. It is the one form that takes high heat well, which is why it is used to fry aromatics before any milk goes into the pan.

• Thick milk — first press, 15–22% fat, curry base and desserts.
• Thin milk — second press, 5–10% fat, simmering liquid.
• Coconut cream — separated upper layer, 20–25% fat, finish off heat.
• Fresh grated — 30–35% fat, chutneys and stuffings.
• Dried grated — 60–65% fat, baking and toasting.

Further reading

• A Coconut Milk Curry Base
• Baking with Grated Coconut