Buying Coconut Milk: A Practical Guide for Every Kitchen

You're standing in the aisle, ready to grab the ingredients for a delicious curry or a creamy dessert. You need coconut milk, but the selection is overwhelming: full-fat, light, cream, creamed coconut, in a can, in a carton. Which one do you choose? The wrong choice can make or break your dish.

My name is Joybuy, and as a Product Recommendation Officer at Joybuy, I'm here to help you navigate the jungle of options. In this guide, I'll explain the differences and provide specific recommendations, so you can confidently choose the right coconut milk for your recipe.

What to Look For When Buying Coconut Milk?

Before we look at the products, here are a few practical tips. Paying attention to these three points will make buying coconut milk much simpler.

1. Fat Percentage Determines Richness

The fat percentage is perhaps the most important factor. It determines the creaminess, texture, and how the coconut milk behaves when cooking with coconut milk.

• Coconut Cream (20-24% fat): This is the thickest and richest variety. It's the thick, creamy part of the coconut milk that rises to the top. Ideal for making extra creamy sauces, desserts like panna cotta, or for whipping as a plant-based alternative to whipped cream.
• Full-Fat Coconut Milk (17-19% fat): The gold standard for most dishes. This variety offers the perfect balance of creaminess and fluidity. This is the coconut milk for curry you're looking for, perfect for a classic Thai green or red curry. Brands like Aroy-D coconut milk are a great example of this.
• Light Coconut Milk (5-9% fat): A diluted version with more water. Suitable for lighter soups, smoothies, or if you're consciously trying to use less fat. Keep in mind that the flavour is less intense and the texture is thinner.

2. The Form: Coconut Milk, Coconut Cream, or Creamed Coconut?

Besides liquid milk in a can or carton, you'll also encounter other forms.

• Canned Coconut Milk: The most common packaging. The thick cream often separates from the watery part. This can be an advantage: you can use the cream separately for extra richness and the water to thin out your sauce.
• Carton Coconut Milk (UHT): This type is homogenised and won't separate easily. It's convenient when you need a smooth, consistent texture for drinks or soups.
• Creamed Coconut (Santen): This is a solid block of pure, concentrated coconut cream. You dissolve a piece in warm water to make your own coconut milk. The advantage is that you can control the thickness yourself, and it's often 100% coconut with no additives.

3. Check the Ingredients List

Good coconut milk has a short ingredients list: coconut extract and water. Sometimes, stabilisers (like guar gum or xanthan gum) are added to prevent the milk from curdling and to ensure a smooth texture. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're looking for the purest product possible, creamed coconut or a coconut milk without these additives is a good choice.

Recommended Coconut Milk Alternatives

Based on product specifications and applications, we've listed some popular choices for you.

KARA Coconut CREAM UHT 24% Fat 500ml

• Why it stands out: With a fat content of 24%, this is a true coconut cream. The UHT packaging ensures the cream is smooth and homogenised, ready to use without any mixing.
• Key Features:
  • Very high fat content for maximum creaminess.
  • Convenient, resealable 500 ml carton.
  • According to the manufacturer, it's free from preservatives, flavourings, and colourings.
• Who is it for?: For the home cook looking for a luxurious, thick base for sauces, desserts, or creamy cocktails. Perfect if you want to avoid any risk of curdling.

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Go-Tan Coconut Cream Shantan - 150 g

• Why it stands out: This is santen (creamed coconut) in its purest form. According to Go-Tan, the product consists of 100% coconut, packed in convenient portion sachets. You have complete control over the thickness of your coconut milk.
• Key Features:
  • Ingredients: 100% coconut. No additives.
  • Flexible to use: make your own milk or cream to the desired consistency.
  • Convenient 3x 50g portion packs prevent waste.
• Who is it for?: The purist who is looking for a product without additives and likes to control the concentration themselves. Also ideal for the pantry, as it has a long shelf life.

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AROY-D Coconut Milk Cooking 19% Fat 400ml

• Why it stands out:Aroy-D coconut milk is a staple in Asian cuisine. With 19% fat, this Thai coconut milk has the ideal balance for most dishes, especially curries and soups. The ingredients list is simple: coconut extract and water.
• Key Features:
  • Perfect fat percentage for a creamy, but not too heavy, texture.
  • An authentic choice widely used in Thai restaurants.
  • Simple and pure composition.
• Who is it for?: An excellent all-rounder for almost any home cook. If you're looking for a reliable canned coconut milk for your weekly curry, this is a solid choice.

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Green Life Canned Coconut Milk (5-7% Fat) 400ml

• Why it stands out: This light coconut milk offers a delicate coconut flavour with significantly less fat. With a fat content of 5-7%, it's a lighter option that still provides a creamy mouthfeel.
• Key Features:
  • Low fat content for lighter dishes.
  • Suitable for vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free diets.
  • Versatile for use in soups, smoothies, and as a dairy substitute.
• Who is it for?: For those consciously looking for a lower-fat option without compromising on the characteristic coconut flavour. Ideal for a light curry or a refreshing smoothie.

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Looking for More Options?

If the perfect coconut cream for your recipe isn't listed here, or if you're curious about other brands and varieties, don't worry. We have a wider range to choose from.

View our full range of coconut cream and find the ideal match for your dishes.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cooking with Coconut Milk

1. What is the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream?

The main difference is the fat percentage. Coconut cream contains more fat (usually over 20%) and is therefore thicker and creamier. Coconut milk is more liquid and has a lower fat percentage (usually between 5% and 19%). Use coconut cream for a rich sauce or dessert; for a standard curry or soup, coconut milk is ideal.

2. Can I drink canned coconut milk?

Coconut milk intended for cooking (like the products above) is very concentrated and fatty. It is not meant to be drunk straight. There are special coconut drinks (often in litre cartons in the refrigerated section) that are diluted with water and sometimes sweetened, which are suitable for drinking as they are.

3. My coconut milk has curdled in the pan, what now?

Curdling often happens when coconut milk is heated too quickly or at too high a temperature, causing the fats to separate from the water. You can often fix this by lowering the heat and gently whisking the sauce until it forms a smooth emulsion again. Therefore, it's best to add coconut milk later in the cooking process and not let it come to a rolling boil.