Living in the North Of Thailand is so very different from living in the South of Thailand… I am learning so much about Thai cultures and traditions which have been passed down through families for centuries and I am loving it.
Coconut oil and its benefits are known throughout the world and it is quite easy to buy a bottle from your local shops now….. But how is it made? it is still made by hand in many local homes here..it takes time but you get a far superior product and you also get the lovely by-product which you can eat.
So come with me ……Over a fire…. a pot is put to heat up when the pot is hot then the coconut milk which is extracted from the white flesh is added, in the villages, they grate this and as you need the flesh from 10 coconuts to make a litre of oil …it is time-consuming and hard work by hand…
If you are lucky enough to live close to a local market and they have the machine which extracts the milk then it is far easier although you still have a long way to go before you get the finished product.
Firstly the Coconut milk is poured into the ready heated pot and it is now a waiting game where all the exciting stuff happens and you can see the stages and transitions that milk goes through to get your oil.
So you sit and stir and watch and wait while still stirring as the milk changes.
The first sign you see are little oil spots which start to appear on the surface of the milk….you still have to keep stirring.
The oil spots spread as the milk bubbles away and indeed will come right to the top of the pot and almost boil over.
The milk is coming to the top is not a good sign you have to stir and stir so it is simmering and bubbling after a while it takes a few hours the milk disappears and you are left with oil…
At the bottom of the pan, you get a thick crust which looks like crumbled digestive biscuits…this is scooped out and kept as a topping for ice cream.
A very small amount is left in the bottom maybe a teaspoonful and this gives the oil a more vanilla/chocolate smell/taste it is then scooped out and the oil is left to cool down.
You now have your very own hand-made Coconut Oil.
I think it is lovely to see this tradition of making your own oil in the home as so often we buy a carton or bottle and we don’t where it has come from ..what processes it has gone through…Is it pure? We all know that labelling can be misleading.
I am sampling so much now of lovely home-produced oils, honey, vegetables, herbs some grown some foraged and it is not just the marvellous taste but just the knowledge that I have seen it made or helped make it and that I know where it has come from..it is a marvellous feeling…
The photos are from my friend Sonya…Thank you so much, Sonya Russell, for allowing me to use them. It is very much appreciated…Thank you 🙂
Thank you for dropping in I do hope you enjoyed reading this post if so please leave a comment as I love to hear from you and have a chat…Love Carol xx
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Can it be used a baby delicate skin
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Like anything Alisha I would check it on a small area first…We have used it but everyone is different …
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This is absolutely fascinating Carol. Thanks for sharing it with us! PXX
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You are very welcome Paul…I love living here and often come across something which I am not expecting like this 🙂 xx
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Carol you always communicate your new discoveries so infectiously. I could have told you how much you love living there. I think it is wonderful there is such a sense of joy and adventure about all your write. PXX
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Thank you so much, Paul for your kind comments it is much appreciated 🙂 x
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Part of the research for my first mystery involved Guam during WW 2. In Always Faithful, a memoir about the marine war dogs, Col Putney tells how the Chamorros came out of hiding from the Japanese when the marines took the island. Their babies had been badly sunburned and were in pain and couldn’t stop crying. The marines and Chamorro women cooked up a huge vat of coconut oil to give the babies relief. An old and accessible remedy. Thanks for the reminder.
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You are welcome , Mary 🙂
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Stirring for a couple of hours is a lot of work! Thank you for explaining the process. I definitely had never thought about how my jar of coconut oil came into existence.
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Yes it is a lot of work but to make that special gift I think it is worth it …As a day job I think I would give it a miss …lol..but it is a tradition which is very much still passed on through the generations here which is lovely as often old ways are often forgotten as technolgy takes over 🙂
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Carol Taylor will be back on Wednesday with her column and Lemongrass Chicken.. in the meantime, if like me you now cook and use coconut oil for skincare etc.. then Carol will talk you through how it is made.. and if you are keen enough how to make your own.. #recommended
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Thank you so much for the reblog Sally 🙂 x
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Very interesting Carol.. I buy good guality oil and must admit just dip and go rather than consider all the effort that went into it… xxx
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Yes, if you are buying the real McCoy then a lot of effort does go into it 🙂 x
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What a great read – thanks for sharing on Big Up Your Blog! I have included your link on PainPalsBlog regular feature Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You! Great to connect, Claire x
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Than you so much Claie I am pleased tyou enjoyed it I have a few more I have written on traditions which are still being passed down through the generations here it is lovely to see 🙂 Thank you again Claire x
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Wow. This is super interesting and a lobor of love to prepare.
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Yes, it is Esme and one of the reasons I love it here…. I am always discovering something which just wow’s me ….
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I just ♥ all your recipes and making from scratch Carol.
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Awww thank you, my friend….You are so kind Hugs x
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♥
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Thank you, Steph x
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This was such a great read, I really enjoyed reading about the process of making coconut oil. You’re right, you never know what is exactly in the pre-packaged products but making it yourself, you do. Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you for your kind words..not something you would make everyday but as a special gift I think it would be lovely:)
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I love that I am learning from your blog posts. Great fun 🙂
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Thank you so much..I love that I am learning …lol
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I love learning, will never stop 🙂
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Reblogged this on S C Richmond and commented:
Brilliant.
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Thank you Seph much appreciated Hugs x
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Oh my! This is a lovely post Carol, thanks for sharing. So much hard work but so worth it!
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Thank you Divya it is hard work but worth it 🙂 Thank you for your kind comments
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I think that is a great idea if you can find coconuts cheap enough. They are expensive here in the USA. It is cheaper to buy the oil.
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Yes Sandy you are probably correct it is only the Asian countries and maybe Hawaii where it is cost efective to make your own. But just lovely to have ago and maybe as a special gift for someone would be nice 🙂
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I absolutely enjoyed this article. I know now how to make coconut oil, if I can get 10 coconuts I would not mind trying it on my own, but coconuts are expensive here in the USA. Thank you for sharing.
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Yes but just to make it once and as a gift for that special person would be lovely 🙂
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Fascinating the differences, Carol. TGIF and mega hugs!
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Yes it is Tadan so much fascinates me here I am always being just amazed ..Big Hugs 🙂
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Sorry Teagan should have checked the spelling b4 I clicked send hugs x
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