Creamy Coconut Yoghurt

Creamy Coconut Yogurt Recipe

Name: Creamy Coconut Yogurt

Origin: Coastal West Africa, East Africa, and the African islands

Ingredients:

• Fresh whole coconut (deshelled and cut into pieces)
• water
• cornstarch (optional
• for a thicker yogurt)
• active culture starter (plain Greek yogurt or any plain yogurt with live and active cultures
• or a dedicated probiotic yogurt starter)

Steps:

1. Important note before starting: Temperature control is the single most critical factor in this recipe; The coconut milk must be cooled to a warm - not hot temperature before the active culture is added; If the milk is too hot, it will kill the live bacteria in the culture, and fermentation will not occur; The correct temperature is warm enough to feel comfortable when you dip your little finger in, but not hot enough to cause any discomfort or pain
2. Deshell the fresh coconut and cut the white coconut flesh into small pieces, then transfer them into a powerful blender
3. Add enough water to fully cover the coconut pieces and blend on high speed until completely smooth with no remaining solid chunks
4. Sieve the blended mixture twice through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing firmly to extract as much coconut milk as possible and discarding the dry pulp, sieving twice ensures a smooth, clean milk with no gritty texture in the final yogurt
5. Transfer the extracted coconut milk into a clean pot and place over medium heat, bringing it to its first boil while stirring occasionally to prevent sticking
6. If using cornstarch to achieve a thicker yogurt, mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water first to form a smooth slurry before adding it to the boiling coconut milk, never add dry cornstarch directly to hot liquid as it will form lumps, stir the slurry in thoroughly and allow the milk to cook for a further two minutes until it thickens slightly
7. Turn off the heat and allow the coconut milk to cool down, stirring occasionally to help release the heat faster, until it reaches a temperature that is warm and comfortable to the touch, dip your clean little finger in and if it feels warm but causes no pain or discomfort, the temperature is right
8. Add the active culture starter to the warm coconut milk and stir gently but thoroughly until it is fully incorporated and evenly distributed throughout the milk
9. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or clean cloth and place it in a warm, undisturbed location, an oven with only the light on, a warm corner of the kitchen, or wrapped in a thick towel works well, and leave completely undisturbed for a full 24 hours to allow fermentation to take place
10. After 24 hours, transfer the pot to the refrigerator without stirring and leave to chill and set for a further 8 hours
11. Once fully chilled and set, stir the yogurt gently to achieve a smooth, uniform consistency, note that stirring will loosen the texture slightly, but it will firm back up within a short time
12. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to five to seven days