About this component
The silky coconut-egg jam, scented green with pandan, that crowns Singapore's beloved kaya toast. A shared Nyonya treasure of Singapore and Malaysia, it rewards slow, patient cooking.
Component facts
- Yield
- About 1.5 cups (360 ml)
- Prep
- 45 minutes
- Heat
- None
Development draft. This is an untested development recipe from the cookbook project. It has not been kitchen-tested, and the quantities and timings are the author’s working draft rather than a verified result.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
- 4 pandan leaves, knotted
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Whisk eggs and sugar until smooth; strain.
- Warm coconut milk with the pandan leaves; discard leaves.
- Combine over a double boiler and cook, stirring constantly, 30–40 minutes until thick and custardy.
- For traditional caramel kaya, cook part of the sugar to a caramel first.
- Cool; it thickens as it sets.
Notes from the book
- Balancing
- Sweet, rich and fragrant; salt sharpens the coconut.
- Substitutions
- Pandan extract if fresh leaves are unavailable (use sparingly).
- Storage and food safety
- Refrigerate in a clean jar up to 1 week. Contains egg. Food-safety note: this is an egg custard — keep chilled and do not leave at room temperature.
Pairs with in this book
The Complete Edition
Kaya (Coconut & Pandan Jam) sits in the foundations
The book carries this component alongside the other twenty-three, the twenty-seven pantry studies, and the Singapore chapter it belongs to.
In review with Amazon KDP
Both editions have been submitted to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and are currently in review. Submitted prices are $9.99 for the kindle edition and $49.99 for the paperback. Neither is on sale yet, and prices are as submitted rather than final.