Coconut Milk

When I’m with my mom’s side of the family, no holiday is complete without ube pie. Ube is a vibrant purple yam from the Philippines used in many sweet dishes. This version of the pie, with its deep shade of violet and its pearly crown of marshmallowy whipped cream, looks as regal as it does whimsical. It’s creamy and custardy like a sweet potato pie but with ube’s distinct notes of vanilla and pistachio. Instead of starting with whole purple yams, this recipe uses jarred ube halaya (sometimes ca.…

Large pieces of butternut squash get braised in a coconut sauce spiked with chile, cayenne, and turmeric for a low-effort dish that’s full of flavor—perfect to star as the vegetarian- or vegan-friendly main event on your Thanksgiving dinner table. Serve with your favorite festive sides or simply with rice or potatoes and a side salad. A squeeze of lime juice at the end adds tang, and almonds bring some contrasting crunch.

Juicy ripe peaches and beautiful pink salmon scream summer. A little curry paste and herbs keep this sweet- spicy curry squarely in the savory realm, and a drizzle of reduced coconut cream cools things off.

Butter mochi is a mainstay at any island party: a perfectly chewy, slightly sticky, and just-dense-enough coconut-custard glutinous rice cake.

Make coconut sticky rice in the microwave for creamy, perfectly tender results in under 10 minutes. Serve it with shredded coconut, toasted sesame seeds, and of course, ripe mango slices.

Sinuglaw is a combination of fish ceviche—in this case, vinegar-cured tuna—plus smoky grilled pork belly. The flavorful dish gets dressed with coconut milk, ginger, red onion, chiles, and tomato.

This cocktail works as an afternoon pick-me-up or an after-dinner drink. Shake the can of coconut milk before using.

Whole cashews are the star of this comforting Sri Lankan curry. They simmer and soften enough to sip up luscious coconut milk, scented with ginger, cumin, turmeric, and fennel.

This coconutty soup from Ramin Ganeshram is ideal for fall, when squash and pumpkin are readily available. Serve it with crusty bread or a hearty green salad for the perfect autumn lunch.

This vibrantly colored mango curry is authentically Keralan, and one we’d typically pair with a fish curry and accompany with rice.

I love the flavor of orange zest and spices in a café de olla, so I created a concentrated syrup that is ready on demand to flavor any cold brew. Coconuts are grown all along the Pacific coast of Mexico; use coconut milk to add richness and even more tropical flavor.

Turmeric, chiles, and chewy-nutty cooked grains balance the sweetness of fresh corn in this loose vegan riff on creamed corn.

This coconut rice recipe appears in Leela Punyaratabandhu's cookbook, Bangkok, as part of a meal that includes green papaya salad, sweet shredded beef, and chicken red curry.

Grated cassava takes the place of flour in this classic Filipino cake, which soaks up the rich coconut milk, and lends a sweet, nutty flavor and a sticky, chewy texture.

Smothered pork chops may be an iconic soul food specialty, but this recipe proves you can smother anything. All it really means is coating slow-cooked meat with a blanket of saucy aromatics that end up as gravy too.

Coconut milk and lots of aromatics bring life into this fish chowder. And just when you thought oyster crackers couldn’t get better, you’ll cook them in butter and smother them in paprika.

Green curry with chicken and eggplant from Chef Hong Thaimee.

This dairy-free cocoa uses fragrant coconut milk as its base. Dried rose petals bring an extra dose of floral aroma and flavor—not to mention romance.

This traditional South American honey-almond cookie gets a tropical twist with an easy-bake coconut dulce de leche filling.

It’s a humble combination of two everyday ingredients, but Kiribath has enormous significance in Sri Lanka—it’s cooked by the Sinhalese to mark the new year in April, and on other special occasions that celebrate new beginnings.