Coconut Milk Powder

Coconut milk powder is coconut milk that has been spray-dried into a fine, creamy white powder. Mixed with warm water it becomes coconut milk again, and you control the strength: a heaped spoon in a little water gives thick first milk for finishing a curry, while more water gives thin milk for simmering. That flexibility is why it is a cupboard essential in so many Sri Lankan and South Indian homes in the UK, and why restaurants buy it in larger packs.

Use it for kiribath, the Sri Lankan milk rice, for kiri hodi, for dal and vegetable curries, and for pol roti and coconut rotis where a little milk powder in the dough adds richness. It is also handy for Thai curries, smoothies, porridge and baking. Small packets suit occasional use, while the large bags make sense for families who cook with coconut every day. Organic versions are available for those who prefer them.

Mix the powder with warm water, never boiling, and whisk well to avoid lumps, or stir it straight into a simmering curry near the end. Once opened, fold the bag tightly or tip it into an airtight jar, and keep it dry, since damp makes it clump. Sister shelf tinned coconut milk sits under coconut milk. For the rest of a kiribath breakfast, add lunu miris and samba rice or raw rice.