The coconut palm is a plant characteristic of tropical coasts, being grown essentially world-wide in our days. Furthermore, coconut products have been well-established in the production of sweets, where their importance is not restricted to low latitudes. From toddy, the highly intoxicating drink arrak is prepared by distillation, and further fermentation of toddy gives the mild palm vinegar. Yet the coconut product most important for cooking is coconut milk , called santen in Indonesia. Coconut milk is made by processing grated coconut with hot water, thereby extracting oil and aroma compounds.
Coconut milk is an extremely important ingredient for many cuisines of Asia.
Personally, I find coconut milk powders less recommendable, since they contain additional dextrines to prevent lumping and have their fat content reduced. Coconut oil is the most typical frying medium in Southern India. Boiled vegetables are mixed with pureed lentils and flavoured with a sophisticated spice mixture made from lentils, split peas, coriander , cumin , fenugreek , chiles and shredded coconut toasted brown together with smaller quantities of cinnamon and cloves . Coconut products are ubiquitous in the cuisine of Sri Lanka, an island near India's South Eastern shores. Sri Lanka is famous for is made without at least a tablespoon of coconut milk, which at the same times thickens, gives more body and intensifies the flavour.