Vegan Coconut Curd with Agar Agar.

The thing with vegan curd is that there are so many varieties that we can easily make at home. Check out this post to explore different types of homemade vegan curd 🙂

Peanut-based, soy-based, and cashew-based curds are among the most popular plant-based curds. Sadly, these three ingredients are also among the most common allergens 🙁 Many vegans can’t eat peanuts/soy/cashews! But that doesn’t mean they should be deprived of the joy that vegan curd brings. That is why peanut-free, soy-free, and nut-free vegan curd options are so important. 

Despite its name, coconut is not a nut; it’s a fruit! Most people who are allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, and soy are still able to enjoy coconut. So this tasty coconut curd is dedicated to them 🙂 Of course, you can still enjoy coconut curd even if you don’t have any allergies! 

Coconut milk is quite delicate and needs to be stabilized with a thickening agent before it can be made into curd. I already have a coconut curd recipe where we use corn flour to stabilize and thicken the coconut milk. Check it out here.

In this recipe, we will be using agar agar, a vegan alternative to gelatin, to stabilize and set the coconut milk into curd. I use Urban Platter brand agar agar powder. You can use any brand but ensure it is pure agar agar powder without any additives. 

Homemade Coconut Curd with Agar Agar

Time taken: 20 minutes + setting time (5-7 hours)

Yields: around 600 ml (4 cups)

1 Indian cup = 150 ml

Ingredients:

• 2 cups freshly grated mature coconut, tightly packed
• 4 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon agar agar powder
• 1 tablespoon poha/cooked rice starter liquid/vegan curd 

Method:

1. Pour 2 cups of warm water on the grated coconut. Soak for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a mixer jar and grind at high speed. Filter out the thick milk using a nut-milk bag or a fine mesh sieve. This is your “1st extract coconut milk,” which is rich and creamy. Keep the milk aside and save the coconut residue for step 2 given below.
2. Repeat the milk-extraction process with the coconut residue using the remaining 2 cups of warm water. This yields your “2nd extract coconut milk,” which is considerably thinner than the 1st extract. 
3. Take the thin 2nd extract of coconut milk in a saucepan and add the agar agar powder to it. Keep aside for 2-3 minutes. Heat the liquid while stirring and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 1 minute and take it off the stove.
4. Add the agar agar liquid to the 1st extract of coconut milk. Whisk to combine. Let the milk cool down until it is lukewarm–you should be able to dip in a finger and keep it in for 5 seconds. Add the starter curd/liquid and mix. Keep it to set for 5-7 hours according to the weather conditions in your city.

Coconut curd can be used in place of dairy curd in many recipes, including raita, chaach, lassi, kadhi, etc. It is especially suitable for South Indian savory recipes that call for curd. Store in an airtight container for  2-3 days in the coldest section of the fridge.