Start a Business of Coconut Milk Beverage

Start a Business of  Coconut Milk Beverage

What is Coconut Milk ?

Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from the grated meat of a brown coconut. It should not be confused with Coconut water. The colour and rich taste of coconut milk can be attributed to the high oil content. Most of the fat is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a very popular food ingredient used in Southeast Asia.

Production 

Traditionally coconut milk is acquired through grating the coconut flesh, and then mix it with small amount of water to dissolve the coconut's whitish fatty content. The grating process could be done in traditional manual way or using grating machine. Several grades of coconut milk exist: from thick at 20-22% fat to thin at 5-7% fat level. Thick milk can be prepared by directly squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth. The squeezed coconut meat is then soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time for thin coconut milk. Thick milk is mainly used to make desserts as well as rich and dry sauces. Thin milk is used for soups and general cooking. This distinction is usually not made in Western nations since fresh coconut milk is rare, and most consumers buy coconut milk in cans.

Coconut water is the watery liquid that usually comes from the young, still immature green coconut, although mature coconuts also have coconut water. Often the still jelly-like coconut meat is also added to make a tropic drink.

Coconut milk can be made at home by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It has then a fat content of 17-24% depending on the fat level of the coconut meat and the quantity of added water. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate out from the milk. To avoid this in commercial sold coconut milk, an emulsifier(s) and a stabiliser(s) have to be used.

Canned Coconut Milk

Manufacturers of canned coconut milk typically combine thin and thick milk, with the addition of water as a filler. 

Depending on the brand and age of the milk itself, a thicker, more paste-like consistency floats to the top of the can, and is sometimes separated and used inrecipes that require coconut cream rather than coconut milk. Shaking the can prior to opening will even it out to a creamy thickness. Some brands sold in Western countries add thickening agents and/or emulsifiers to prevent the milk from separating inside the can, since the separation tends to be misinterpreted as an indicator of spoilage by people unfamiliar with coconut milk.Once opened, cans of coconut milk must be refrigerated and are usually only good for a few days. If not, the milk can sour and spoil easily.

     In food

Fresh coconut milk has a consistency and mildly sweet taste similar to that of cow's milk, and if properly prepared, should have little or no coconut odour. It may be consumed raw by itself, or used as a milk substitute in tea, coffee, or baking by vegans or people allergic to animal milk. It can also be mixed with fruit to make a yoghurt substitute.

In drink

There is a widely popular iced drink called cendol, where a chilled coconut milk will be added with green jellies made of rice flour and sweetened with liquid thick palm sugar. Coconut milk is often used in traditional hot drinks, such as bandrek and bajigur from West Java, Indonesia.

In southern China and Taiwan, sweetened "thin" coconut milk is served on its own as a drink during spring and summer. It is made by adding sugar and evaporated or fresh milk during the process of preparing the coconut milk. Another Chinese drink is coconut milk diluted with water, then mixed with fresh or evaporated milk in a 1:1 ratio and a spoon of condensed milk or sugar for each cup. They are served chilled.

How to Make Coconut Milk Beverages?

Banana, Nutella, and Coconut Yogurt Shake with Chai Spices

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 container vanilla coconut milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 2/3 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoonground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• Coconut flakes for garnish (optional)

Procedures

Combine frozen bananas, yogurt, Nutella, coconut milk, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and clove in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Serve garnished with coconut flakes if desired.

Spicy Honeydew and Coconut Water Agua Fresca

Ingredients

For the Chile de Arbol Simple Syrup:

• 5 dried chiles de arbol
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• For the Agua Fresca:
• 2 pounds whole honeydew melon, cubed to make about 5 cups
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 tablespoon chile de arbol simple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from 1 lime
• Fresh melon for garnish (optional)

Procedures

1. 1
   For the Chile de Arbol Simple Syrup: Tear the chiles with your hands and combine them (seeds and all) in a small saucepan with water and sugar. Bring to boil, stirring frequently, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, strain and refrigerate liquid. Syrup keeps for up to 1 week in a sealed container.
2. 2
   For the Agua Fresca: Put the honeydew in a blender and pulse a few times to break down the melon then blend on medium for about 15 more seconds, until a pulpy puree forms. Position a colander lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a bowl and pour the honeydew mixture into the colander. Let strain for about 10 minutes, then pick up the ends of the cheesecloth and squeeze to extract any remaining juice.
3. 3
   Measure 1 1/2 cups of the resulting juice and combine with the coconut water, chile de arbol syrup, and lime juice in a small pitcher. Stir to combine and refrigerate until completely cool. Serve garnished with additional fresh melon if desired.

   Market Overview
   

   Packaged coconut water is turning costlier ahead of summer with a sharp rise in coconut prices this season. Bottlers are expecting a 20-25% rise in the demand for coconut water because a harsh summer has been forecast. "We are planning to raise the price by 5% as the prices of tender coconuts have doubled," said CM Kamraj, MD of Sakthi Coconut Products. The Pollachi-based company sells tender coconut water in cans under the brand Tender Coco.

   
   For More Details: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/keyword/coconut-water
                                         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk