The coconut milk you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store is made from finely ground coconut meat liquified in water until it is a suspension, and then diluted with water to make it less fatty and more drinkable. The lighter coconut milk beverage is not a good substitute for the heavy, creamy canned coconut milk typically used in Thai cooking, says Alisa Fleming, chief editor of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook. But it can substitute for dairy milk in pancakes, cake batters or light cream soups, she says.
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Try these favorite coconut milk recipes.