Topic: What is Coconut Powder?

[Razor]

emin-j,

i'll look out for the TRS stuff out of interest (to compare with the Heera brand which i have). i'm beginning to think that flour is powder though (comparing the TRS pic and my bag of the flour).

Thank's JerryM , when I got to the check out at the Indian Supermarket I had a bag of Coconut Flour and I asked the Indian Lady on the till if this was Coconut Powder as for making a Korma , the Lady replied ' No that is for Baking Cakes and stuff ' She then pointed to the Coconut Milk Powder which is what I bought but it was over twice the price of the Flour for half the weight !

Hi emin-j

I can understand why you got that response from the lady at the checkout.  She would thinking of the more traditional way to make Korma (Khorma) rather than in a BIR style.

Ray

[George]

I can understand why you got that response from the lady at the checkout.  She would thinking of the more traditional way to make Korma (Khorma) rather than in a BIR style.

I reckon it's more likely she doesn't know what she's talking about. As far as I'm aware, traditional korma isn't based on using coconut at all.

[Mikka1]

George are you saying that Traditional Khorma does not have coconut in it?

I reckon it's more likely she doesn't know what she's talking about. As far as I'm aware, traditional korma isn't based on using coconut at all.

[artistpaul]

emin-j,

i'll look out for the TRS stuff out of interest (to compare with the Heera brand which i have). i'm beginning to think that flour is powder though (comparing the TRS pic and my bag of the flour).

Thank's JerryM , when I got to the check out at the Indian Supermarket I had a bag of Coconut Flour and I asked the Indian Lady on the till if this was Coconut Powder as for making a Korma , the Lady replied ' No that is for Baking Cakes and stuff ' She then pointed to the Coconut Milk Powder which is what I bought but it was over twice the price of the Flour for half the weight !

Read my earlier posts on this for you. I have already tried to explain this, flour is for desserts / sweets, milk powder is for use in  curries for example.

[Cory Ander]

emin-j,

i'm beginning to think that flour is powder though (comparing the TRS pic and my bag of the flour).

Jerry,

As I understand it, coconut milk powder is derived from extracting and spray drying the liquid ("cream") from the grated flesh of the coconut (not the actual milk/water inside the coconut) whereas coconut flour (sometimes called coconut powder) is derived from drying and grinding the actual flesh ("meat") of the coconut.

I presume, in which case, that coconut flour is similar to finely ground desiccated coconut?  I have never seen coconut flour in the shops and, consequently, have never used it.  I use coconut milk powder.  I find that creamed coconut block leaves a distinctive greasy/dry taste on the palate, which I am not particularly fond of.

You can easily tell which you have by seeing if it will dissolve in water.  The coconut milk powder will dissolve and the coconut flour won't.

[JerryM]

Read my earlier posts on this for you. I have already tried to explain this, flour is for desserts / sweets,

artistpPaul,

i appreciate your trying to help and so am i. coconut flour is NOT just for desserts/sweets. it's used in BIR main dishes.

i think it's emin-j who's getting mixed up. CA has spelt it out exactly as it is for me.

the only other thing to be aware of is desiccated coconut - this is for desserts/sweets.

what i'm saying is the TRS bag looks exactly like my flour.

ps the flour is not like bread flour it's quite bitty but as CA says it won't dissolve in water.

please anyone - does the TRS bag "contents" dissolve in water.

then all of our blood pressures with all this salt can relax on such a petty subject.

[Secret Santa]

please anyone - does the TRS bag "contents" dissolve in water.

I'm pretty sure the bag I got was TRS and of course it doesn't dissolve in water because it is very finely dessicated coconut flesh. Having said that it isn't finely dessicated enough for me. I don't like the graininess in the finished curry.

This puts me in a bit of a quandry. I don't for one second believe that the BIRs use coconut (milk) powder as CA insists they do. This stuff flavours beautifully, but it thickens rapidly as well. Try putting one and a half heaped chef's spoons of that in your korma (12 TBSP), as I have witnessed three BIRs doing, and I reckon you'll be able to slice the korma it'll be that thick.

But, as I say, the cocnut flour I've used is too grainy and doesn't flavour as well. But this would allow 12 TBSP to be used to get the flavour without excessive thickening. I have always heard anecdotally that they use coconut flour and if I could find a finely dessicated variety then I would be 100% convinced that that is what they use instead of 95% as I am now.

[emin-j]

Read my earlier posts on this for you. I have already tried to explain this, flour is for desserts / sweets, milk powder is for use in  curries for example

I appreciate everyones input on this forum whether their advice is correct or not we are all learning.

[PaulP]

I use Maggi's coconut milk powder. It tastes good, it isn't grainy at all and it mixes well with water. The last korma I made using it was fine - not too thick at all.

This is the stuff:

http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2espicesofindia%2eco%2euk%2f&WD=maggi&SHOP=%20&PN=Indian%2dFood%2dMaggi%2dCoconut%2dMilk%2dPowder%2ehtml%23aGRO011_2dp#aGRO011_2dp

[Secret Santa]

I'm well aware of the stuff PaulP, been using it for years for various things. So, how much do you use in your korma?