Over the years, canned coconut milk has become the main ingredient in many dishes, from Thai dishes to vegetarian desserts, and many recipes now use the canned food itself as a unit of measurement. It is usually best to need a complete recipe, because there are no leftovers you have to strangely leave in an aluminum container-but what if the recipe only requires a few tablespoons of coconut milk? The remaining sad jar may stay in your refrigerator for a few days until it is no longer good and you have to throw it away. However, there is actually a better way to solve this problem: coconut milk powder.

According to Food & Wine, in Trinidad, coconut milk is the main ingredient of many traditional dishes, and coconut milk is "immediately popular" because of its convenience. The same article mentioned that although fresh coconut milk is still the country’s gold standard, powdered coconut milk has a place in the pantry along with other common items such as breadcrumbs and baking powder. Not only is it shelf stable, but it also takes up less space in the storage room compared to canned cousins, and has some other benefits.

According to The Coconut Company, powdered coconut milk is made by mixing dried coconut milk and emulsifiers (the latter is because 100% pure coconut milk powder is unstable and cannot be produced in an affordable and reliable way). Since the production process is very simple and the additives are minimal, the natural flavor and all nutritional benefits of nuts are retained.

Even better, it is flexible. So, if the recipe calls for coconut milk, you can simply mix powdered coconut milk with warm water to restore it to its original liquid form. To make light coconut milk, the love blog from Hawaii recommends mixing half a cup of coconut milk powder with 1 cup of warm water. To make coconut cream, the website also recommends mixing 1.5 cups of coconut milk powder with 1 cup of warm water.

Some of The Coconut Company's favorite uses for coconut milk powder include adding it to broths and curries, and then directly scooping it into smoothies, without the use of any dairy products to add a rich creamy flavor. Food & Wine recommends sprinkling the powder on oatmeal with cinnamon and cardamom to make your day more comfortable. Sprinkling the powder directly on the plate may sound like a lumpy city, but another wonderful aspect of coconut milk powder is that it does not clump. And, of course, its other benefits are that it is vegan and shelf stable, so if you are traveling, you can also take it with you.

According to Food & Wine, the shelves of grocery stores in the Caribbean are full of coconut flour, but it may be more difficult to find in the United States. You can find a lot on the Internet.