This simple ingredient makes so many meals shine

As much as I worship the seasonal and the fresh when it comes to ingredients, there are a handful of canned products that are sacred in my kitchen. Coconut milk is one of them.

The creamy yet dairy-free foundation of so many dishes, it adds its subtly sweet flavor and richness to countless curries and stews, soups and pilafs, and makes for a stunning hot chocolate with an inimitable perfume.

Given how much I rely on it now (and increasingly so, as more people in my life give up dairy), there was a time not so long ago when coconut milk was strictly a do-it-yourself affair. Supermarkets stocked cloying cream of coconut for piña coladas, but not the unsweetened stuff that’s thankfully ubiquitous today.

If I wanted to make, say, Julie Sahni’s malai murgh (chicken in creamed coconut sauce) from her cookbook “Classic Indian Cooking,” I had to start with a whole, mature coconut.

After piercing the “eyes” — the three indentations in a coconut shell — to drain the liquid (which was how you got your coconut water in those dark days), I baked the orb for half an hour until its hard brown shell cracked. Then I carved out the meat, grated it in a food processor, soaked the gratings in boiling water for another half an hour, puréed the mixture, let it cool, strained and squeezed it in cheesecloth and, several hours later, I had the equivalent of two cans of coconut milk.

Was that homemade coconut milk superior to the canned stuff? I honestly can’t remember. But I know I wouldn’t be using it nearly so often if I didn’t have a couple of cans in my pantry next to all the tinned fish (another sacred staple).

These recipes are a celebration of the joys and ease of canned coconut milk, each highlighting its mellow character in a distinct way.

In black bean soup, coconut milk’s gentleness tempers the earthiness of the beans and cumin, and contrasts with the fiery smack of sliced jalapeño. Coconut milk also leaves the broth elegantly silky and very satisfying.

Mixed into cornbread in place of the usual dairy milk, coconut milk gives the loaf a nutty fragrance and a particularly tender, cakelike crumb. And you can adjust its sweetness level to taste. Adding all of the brown sugar called for edges this toward dessert, but you can use less to keep this firmly on the savory side. I do call for butter, but coconut oil works just as well and keeps this dairy-free.

Finally, given my fondness for both coconut milk and sheet-pan meals, it’s no surprise that I found a way to combine them. I coat cubes of sweet potato and plump, pink shrimp in ginger-spiked coconut milk, then pop everything in the oven (the potatoes first, and the shrimp later) until the potatoes are velvety soft and the shrimp perfectly succulent. Coconut milk helps the potatoes caramelize at their edges and imbues the shrimp, making them even sweeter.

Coconut milk may not be the star of any of these dishes, but it turns each of them into the best possible version of itself.

Serves 4.

Earthy black bean soup gets a plush makeover with the addition of canned coconut milk, which lends richness and a sweet, mellow flavor. Whole cumin seeds and tomato paste add depth, while jalapeño contributes both brightness and heat to the pot. You can purée the soup until it’s velvety smooth, or leave it a little chunky. Either way, it makes for a satisfying and hearty weeknight meal. From Melissa Clark, New York Times

Directions

Cut the white onion in half lengthwise and then cut lengthwise again into quarters. Thinly slice one quarter of the onion. Add slices to a small bowl and stir in the juice of ½ lime and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside for serving. Dice the remaining onion and reserve.

Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Once hot, add the oil. Add the diced onion and cook until tender and golden at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Stir in the jalapeño. Mince ¼ cup cilantro stems and add to the pan. Cook until the jalapeño and cilantro stems are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin seeds, black pepper and remaining 1 ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens.

Add in the black beans, coconut milk and stock. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.

Use an immersion blender or blender to purée the soup until half-smooth and still a little chunky. Add more stock if you want a brothier soup.

Stir in the juice of the remaining lime half and ½ cup of chopped cilantro leaves. Taste and add more salt and lime juice as needed. Serve topped with the pickled onions and more chopped cilantro, and with lime wedges alongside.

Serves 8.

This rich, tender cornbread has coconut milk mixed into the batter, giving it a gentle, nutty fragrance. Using all of the brown sugar called for makes this almost cakelike, but you can add less for a milder, savory-sweet loaf. The coconut flake topping gets crisp and golden in the oven, adding a pleasing, nubby contrast to the soft crumb. This is best served still warm, slathered with butter if you like. Store any leftovers in the fridge (it will keep for a few days), then toast it just before serving. From Melissa Clark, New York Times.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch pan.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon butter, the coconut and 1 teaspoon sugar, and toss well. This is your topping.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, remaining sugar (add sugar depending on how sweet you prefer your cornbread), salt and baking powder.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, sour cream and remaining 8 tablespoons melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking well until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and scatter coconut on top in an even layer. Bake until the top is golden and the cornbread bounces back when lightly pressed in the middle, 35 to 50 minutes (glass and ceramic pans take longer than metal). Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

Cubes of sweet potatoes and plump pink shrimp — both coated in spicy ginger-spiked coconut milk — share a sheet pan in this easy, deeply flavored one-pan meal. The sweet potato is added to the pan first, and roasted until just tender. Then, shrimp are scattered on top, and the whole pan is run under the broiler. The brief, intense heat allows the shrimp to cook through but stay succulent and the coconut milk-bathed sweet potatoes to caramelize at their edges. Scallions, cilantro and lime juice add a jolt of brightness right at the end. From Melissa Clark, New York Times.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or a nonstick liner.

In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, Sriracha, garlic, ginger, sliced scallion whites, red-pepper flakes, salt and cilantro.

Finely grate the zest of 1 lime directly into coconut milk mixture, then squeeze in the lime juice (reserve the second lime for later).

Put shrimp in another medium bowl. Pour half of the coconut mixture over shrimp and stir to combine. Let marinate in the fridge while the sweet potatoes roast.

Meanwhile, add the sweet potato cubes to the bowl with the remaining coconut mixture and toss to combine. Evenly spread potatoes on the prepared sheet tray, pouring all of the liquid from the bowl over them. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing a couple of times while roasting, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Remove pan from oven and heat broiler to high. Spread shrimp evenly on top of the sweet potatoes and pour in any liquid from the bowl. Drizzle shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil on high for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and just beginning to curl, and the sweet potatoes are charred in spots, rotating the pan after 3 minutes.

To serve, squeeze the juice of the reserved lime on top and sprinkle with sliced scallion greens. Drizzle with more Sriracha sauce.