Coconut milk
The Tamil name for Coconut milk is "Thengai paal". In Tamil language "Thengai" means "Coconut" and "Paal" means "Milk".
In present day, more than Tamil cuisine, Kerala cusine uses coconut milk in almost all dishes. From Tamil culture, the use of coconut milk has gone to Thai and other Asian cusine as well.
How to extract milk from coconut:
Coconut milk can be extracted by hand using grated coconuts.
Take grated coconuts in a bowl and mix them with water. Squeeze the juice out. Again add water in the same bowl and Squeeze the juice out. Or you can use mixer grinder to get the milk from cut coconut pieces.
In Tamil cusine, there are various ways of using "Thengai paal":
Coconut milk as a side dish:
Coconut milk is used as a side dish for breakfast dishes like Appam. This is famous in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Sri lanka and other parts of Asia.
Coconut milk as an ingredient:
Coconut milk is used for making Kuruma and curries. When you do not have fresh coconut then coconut milk available in Tin is the best choice.
People living in non-tropical countries and areas where coconut is not sold, then coconut milk in Tin is a savior.
Using coconut milk in cooking, particularly for making curries is famous in other Asian cuisine like Thai cuisine as well.
Popular dish where Coconut milk is used:
As an ingredient in Kuruma, As side dish for Appam
Spelling variations in Tamil name for Coconut milk:
Thengai paal, Thaengai pal, Thenga pal, Thenkai paal