Basics of CKP cooking - 2

Two other things besides Vaatan, that are a staple of CKP cooking are - tamarind (chincha) and coconut milk (naralache doodh).
Preferably the coconut milk should be fresh, and homemade ... but the canned variety can be used as a last minute substitute. If using canned cocnout milk, then -
1) make sure that it is not sweetened
2) The consistency that you want to achieve for the coconut milk is more on the watery side, not the thick pulpy, creamy kind that you usually find in the cans. If using canned variety, then as a general guideline, add 3/4 cup of water to one cup of milk and dilute it before using.
Making coconut milk at home is best -
1) Grate fresh coconut
2) Blend the coconut + water together in the blender (you'll have to judge the quantity of water - general guidance is 2:1 ratio of water to coconut). Blend for a nice long time.
3) Pass the mixture through a seive to separate the chotha from the milk.
4) Depending on how much juice is left in the chotha, it can be blended a second time with some more water for additional milk. However add lesser water (1:1) when using chotha instead of fresh coconut.
5) Try out the above on a small batch first to judge the overall richness, thickness and taste of the coconut milk, and accordingly adjust your water quantity up or down. Each coconut is different - some are juicier than others, some oilier than others. Based on each of these the exact amount of water you add will be different each time.