Place 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut in a bowl or large liquid measuring cup. Pour over 2 cups of warm water and allow to soak for five to ten minutes. If you have a powerful blender, you can skip the soaking. However, blending adds more heat. So, if using a bag, you may have to let it cool before handling. That's why I prefer to simply allow it to cool as it soaks before blending. Soaking also gives a slightly larger yield of milk.
Once your coconut has soaked and softened, you can go ahead and pour it all into your blender jug. Make sure the lid is sealed nice and tight, and blend for thirty seconds to a minute.The longer you blend, the less pulp and more milk you will get. However, I wouldn't recommend blending for over a minute as it will start to get very hot.
After blending the shredded coconut and water, all you have to do is strain and squeeze it through a plant milk bag. If you are in a pinch, a sieve will also do the job. Although I should note, you may not get as smooth of a milk with a sieve.To strain through a plant milk bag, simply drape it over a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl. Next, pour the blended coconut and water in. Lift the top of the bag and keep it closed as you squeeze the milk out of the bottom. You can watch the video here to see how it's done.Once you have squeezed all the milk out, pour your coconut milk into a sealable container or use right away. You can discard the coconut pulp (what's left in the bag) in the compost, or you can use it! It's great for making raw desserts!
Your Homemade Coconut Milk will last up to four days in the fridge.
Notes
You can also use coconut water which will make it more like traditional coconut milk. I would reccomend soaking the shredded coconut in one cup of regular water and then add one cup of coconut water before blending.