If using a whole coconut, crack the shell, pour out the liquid, and take out all the coconut flesh. Peel off as much of the brown outer shell as possible, and then grate the coconut. If using pre-shredded coconut, skip to the next step.

Place the shredded coconut into a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Mix well. Add an additional inch of boiling water over the coconut.

Let sit for 20 minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth. (I use a cloth napkin for this.) Squeeze out any water remaining in the coconut and set aside. It should be a milky color.

Return the coconut to the bowl, cover with water once again, and repeat. Combine the two batches of water. This milky white liquid is your coconut milk, which can be used as a non-dairy milk replacement in any recipe.