So I’m making peas and rice (the pigeon peas, of course), and trying to sub coconut milk for creaned coconut (which MIL recommends). I find a comparison on Type I Kitchen previously known as Holly Cooks.
She writes "Creamed coconut is made from mature coconut flesh which has been ground up, dehydrated and compressed into a block shape. It’s then wrapped in plastic and sold in a block. You sometimes see that it has separated a little with the fat gathering at one end.
Creamed coconut is ideal to use when you need a coconut flavour but you don’t want additional liquid, as coconut cream or milk would add to your recipe. You can roughly chop it or grate it into whatever you are cooking, for example a curry or custard.
You can use creamed coconut to make coconut cream and coconut milk. You just dissolve the creamed coconut in the right amount of hot water."
Well when you put it that way, it’s a pretty good thing to have around, plus it keeps longer. So I’m searching for it online.
This is exactly why I was/am so excited when I first learned about the spice company, Burlap and Barrel. I feel the same way about sourced spices and herbs arriving directly from the growers. Too good not to share.
I read all the Burlap and Barrel posts! I shared the links to ones from Turkey with my son in Turkey, who is always interested in what folks import from there.
This is like hitting the jackpot. I keep trying to find more on their “about us” page to see where they are, who they are, but it only takes me back to their general page about their search for global foods. If anyone decides to give this site a try, please do let us know how your experience was!
Very interesting - i had never heard of creamed coconut.
I tend to switch between frozen (fresh) grated and desiccated, both of which provide texture and body (vs coconut milk or coconut cream, which are great when I want smoothness - the powdered version is a good pantry backup too, when I only need a tiny amount rather than a whole can).
I’ll head down the Snuk rabbit hole in a bit… good distraction for this evening, I’m thinking.
I didn’t even notice that ingredient! I may have carrot seeds, but I know I have chia seeds. I would probably have just skipped it if you didn’t mention a possible chia seed sub. As it happens, I also don’t have enough rice vinegar, so either I will use cider vinegar, or make less. I’ll probably go with making less. And maybe waaay hotter. I ended up looking up all manner of pickled carrots, but this is the only one that seems to use the tops.
@NotDoobieWah, I was wondering about missing countries/cultures, and price comparisons. As much as I want to support this venture, and Brooklyn, I am buying local when it makes sense.
But I am all over the creamed coconut, which I have not found here, and will cost me less than a trip to MIL’s in Georgia.
I’m still researching, but my shopping cart is full! Like the link says; " Not all of us are fortunate enough to have a Polish or Indian grocery (or even a Whole Foods) within subway or driving distance. "
Intriguing! I scanned the Snuk site very quickly, and my hypothesis is that it could be useful as a one-stop-shop for pantry ingredients that are hard to find locally.
Prices appear high at first glance, but then again Snuk is doing the work of sourcing all these goods.
Example: A jar of sambal manis goes for $7.99 at Snuk compared with $3.69 at Van Der Veen’s Dutch Store . Do keep in mind that sambal manis isn’t something I have ever seen in a physical store in the US. I only became hooked on the stuff because of my Dutch-born neighbor who uses some Indonesian ingredients in her cooking. That Snuk even carries the condiment at all seems promising.
Yeah, I definitely understand that. I get how fortunate I am here in Houston. I can get almost anything within a thirty minute drive and I’m completely serious. Kekap manis? Several brands.
I could start my own internet grocery and just go pay retail when I get an order.
Let me know what you need and I’ll tell you what I can find.
