How to extract coconut milk

The Malayali way of making coconut milk
1 medium-sized, fresh coconut, grated

1st extract

• Sprinkle 1/2 cup cold water over coconut gratings.
• Squeeze out milk to get the first milk or extract (thalapal).

2nd extract

• Add 1 cup cold water to the squeezed coconut gratings and squeeze out milk to get the second extract (randampal).

3rd extract

• repeat with 2 cups cold water to get the third extract (moonnampal).

make:1/2 cup 1st extract; 1 cup 2nd extract; and 2 cups 3rd extract.

If you are to use canned coconut milk this also has an easy way of preparing.

• The undiluted milk serves as the 1st extract.
• Dilute 1 cup milk with 1 cup water and use as the 2nd extract.
• Dilute 1 cup milk with 2 cups water then can be used as the 3rd extract.

Extracting of the milk is done clockwise but the adding of the coconut milk while cooking is done anticlockwise that is the 3rd extract is added first, then the 2nd and finally the first. For a payasam this is necessary for slow cooking.