Tinned & powdered

Making your own coconut cream and milk helps to achieve an authentic Sri Lankan flavour and these are not as rich as the tinned or powdered varieties. Most people won’t have the time to make their own, so I’ve tried to use quantities based on tin size where possible. The thickness and consistency can vary depending on the brand you use, so you may need to adjust the quantities accordingly. I prefer to use the Kara brand, as it’s really thick and I find it doesn’t split as easily when heated.

If you want to use powdered coconut to make coconut cream, dissolve 2 tablespoons powder in 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) lukewarm water. For coconut milk, dissolve 2 tablespoons powder in 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) lukewarm water.