I buy this in tins but I've noticed that there is a wide variation in the % Coconut Concentrate. Can anyone tell if this figure really makes a difference, especially to taste? By the way have you seen the prices? Here in the UK, not long ago a tin would cost about 90p. I've seen them on sale recently in Supermarkets for ?1.90.

Can you recommend a good brand? My favourite for price & flavour comes from Lidl but my local store has been closed for months so I don't know what's been going on with their prices in the meanwhile.

Regards,

Martin

That is a difficult question, but I guess you get what you pay for! I recently bought a couple of tins from my local Pakistani grocer, where there was a deal going for 3 for the price of 2. There was hardly any taste or flavour, near to useless it was! I usually buy from Sainsbury's or Tescos or somewhere like Wing-Yip. Powdered coconut milk is better than tinned one, I find. Even a cake is quite good, just grate some on top of whatever you want it in.

Since I don't go out and look for a specific brand, I too get the wrong one sometimes :(.

Yes, it does make a difference, because the fat content and how thick/ runny they are as well as flavour are very different between brands. I tend to buy mine from Wing Yip and have found the brands I've bought have been fine.

There was a real shortage of coconut a couple of years ago, I think there may have been a poor or failed harvest in a major growing area, and the prices have been higher since then I think.

Yes I remember; when the young Dimbelby came with his chef to work out which curry he wanted to host at his restaurant chain, he didn't want the coconut based one, because of shortage of coconut.

Yes indeed.

I picked up a tin of coconut milk from a local Afro-Caribbean store at 76% concentrate for 50p! It seems that the supermarkets are just taking the mickey out of us on their prices.

Regards,

Martin

That is cheap, was it good?

Haven't tried it yet but I'll let you know what it's liked in due course.

Martin

To follow up ......The 'cheap' coconut milk at 76% concentrate gave much improved results.

Regards,

Martin

:-)