Quick, simple and extremely delicious recipe of Sweet Coconut Milk for Appam with detailed step by step pictures. Thengai Paal recipe made with fresh coconut and jaggery, best side dish for Appam and Idiyappam!

Thengai Paal is a traditional Tamilnadu recipe made with milk extracted from fresh coconut, sweetened with jaggery flavored with fresh cardamom pods. Sweet Coconut Milk is served as a side dish for Appam and Idiyappam. It is such a humble and simple homestyle recipe that is quite common in many Tamil households. It has been gaining popularity in restaurants too, where appams or idiyappam is served with both Vellai Kurma or Veg Kurma and Thengai Paal. In this Sweet Coconut Milk for Appam recipe, I share tips and notes to make it from scratch but also an easy shortcut using instant options.

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Key Ingredients
Tips & Important Notes for Making Thengai Paal Recipe
Substitutions & Variations
Serving Suggestions
Sweet Coconut Milk for Appam Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
Recipe Notes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Key Ingredients

Fresh Shredded or Grated Coconut is used for extracting Thin and Thick Coconut Milk. Checkout the substitutions section to know more about other options.

Jaggery is used to sweeten the coconut milk. My mother-in-law uses sugar to keep the color of the milk whiter, but I prefer using jaggery. It adds a unique flavor that goes well with the coconut milk and also is healthier than white sugar.

Powdered Green Cardamom Pods are added to flavor the sweet coconut milk recipe.

For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.

Sweet Coconut Milk for Appam and Idiyappam

Tips & Important Notes for Making Thengai Paal Recipe

Technically, sweet coconut milk for appam or idiyappam is very easy and is beginner-friendly but there are a few small details to be taken note of, to make it perfectly.

When using Jaggery, always make sure to filter the jaggery syrup as it helps remove any impurities. If using sugar, there is no need to strain.

Do not be tempted to boil the coconut milk on high heat or for more than 3-4 minutes. Prolonged heating with jaggery can sometimes cause the milk to curdle.

Always cook the coconut milk on lowest flame possible for best taste.

Use fresh coconut grated/shredded/chopped to extract the coconut milk. Blitz about 1 cup of coconut with 1 cup of water, strain the extract to get the thick coconut milk – also known as first coconut milk. Again, blitz the strained out coconut with ½ cup of water, strain the extract to get the thin coconut milk – also known as second coconut milk.

Substitutions & Variations

To reduce the effort in making the coconut milk, you can always use instant options –

Coconut Milk Powder – it is a cost effective and easy way to make coconut milk within a couple of minutes. There is a slight difference in taste, but is negligible when cooked with jaggery syrup. To make 1 cup of thick coconut milk, add 4-5 tablespoon of coconut milk powder to the hot water and mix well. For thin coconut milk, use 1 tablespoon with ½ cup of hot water.
Ready-to-use Coconut Milk – it is rich, creamy and works out great. It is very thick for making sweet coconut milk for appam, so add some hot water to dilute as needed before adding it to the jaggery syrup.

Instead of jaggery, sugar can also be used and thengai paal made with sugar is white in color.

Every household would have a different version of sweet coconut milk recipe depending on the sweetness preferred. My mother-in-law mostly makes the thengai paal without heating the coconut milk – so that’s also a variation to consider.

Serving Suggestions

Sweet Coconut Milk or Thengai Paal is served at room temperature as a side dish for Appam and Idiyappam. It is poured on top of fluffy appams when they are piping hot and it has such a divine taste! Idiyappam or String Hoppers are soaked in sweet coconut milk for best taste. While sweet coconut milk is usually served as a side dish, when chilled it is almost a sweet/dessert. There is a similar recipe known as Aadi Paal made with coconut milk and can be served as a dessert chilled. It is best to consume Thengai Paal within a couple of hours of preparation, there are chances of milk getting spoilt when left outside for longer duration. If there are leftovers, store them in an airtight container in fridge.

Serve Thengai Paal with

Thengai Paal Recipe for Appam and Idiyappam

Sweet Coconut Milk for Appam Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

In a pot add 3 tablespoon jaggery along ¼ cup water and 2 green cardamoms powdered. Heat it on low flame.

As jaggery is completely melted, let the syrup boil for 3-4 mins.

Now add ½ cup thin coconut milk first. Heat on low flame for 2 mins.

Next add ½ cup thick coconut milk. Mix well and cook on low flame for another 2 minutes.

As the milk comes to a slow boil, remove from heat immediately.

Serve with hot appams and idiyappam.

How to make Sweet Coconut Milk for Appam

Recipe Notes

Adjust the amount of jaggery depending on the sweetness preferred. Thengai paal is should not be overly sweet.
Use fresh coconut grated/shredded/chopped to extract the coconut milk. Blitz about 1 cup of coconut with 1 cup of water, strain the extract to get the thick coconut milk – also known as first coconut milk. Again, blitz the strained-out coconut with ½ cup of water, strain the extract to get the thin coconut milk – also known as second coconut milk.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂

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