I first tried this amazing stuff a few years ago when I visited Singapore with a friend. It's usually served with coffee boiled over a gas stove sweetened with condensed milk, shmeared perfectly on toasted white bread, and topped off with thick butter pads.
It's also usually served with soft boiled eggs.This is a common breakfast, snack, or treat.
It's just like the name--rich.
It's sweet, but nutty, and the combination of runny egg and coconuty buttery-ness and the crunchy toasted bread with a gulp of perfect coffee is just to die for. I crave this and have searched for recipes. It was disappointing when they all called for things that were hard to find or just TOTALLY time consuming (about 2 hours of constant stirring!)
Today I went to the local Asian Market and found Coconut spread. It was Thai--but I thought maybe it was something like the loved Kaya. I opened it in excitement upon returning home and noticed it was more like coconut caramel. It smelled caramelly and tasted it too. Would be GREAT on ice cream! But I wanted Kaya. I looked up some recipes and found a great one at Kitchen Tigress for a nice 10 minute one. I also found many more for the original and tweaks on the original and 30 minute ones and so on.
I wanted a 10 minute one that I could make using this Coconut spread, cause I didn't have coconut milk or pandan leaves. I had eggs. I had coconut spread. So I improvised.
If any Malaysians or Singaporeans happen upon my recipe, please forgive me for this sacrilege. I love Kaya, and while I admit this is not the true Kaya, it is a good replacement in the event of only having these ingredients available. Please, don't hate me. It's for the love all that is kayaaaaaaaaaaaa! I truly respect those that have the patience to sit over a pot for 2 hours stirring the real thing. If you've never tried Kaya and don't have access to it, this is a great substitute.
So, introduction and apologies complete, here's my recipe that also takes approximately 10 minutes.
Here's what you need:
 |
| coconut spread and 3 eggs |
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| toasted coconut, you can toast it in the microwave |
and:
a small pot
a whisk or spoon, I used both!
1. First, separate the yolks from the whites. You will only use the yolks. So you can make some meringue or fluff or some something that only needs whites...I just scrambled 'em up and gave 'em to my happy doggies.
2. Place about 4 tbsp of coconut spread in a small pot. Keep it on low the whole time. If you wanna turn up the heat toward the end, never put it above medium low and DON'T leave it alone.
3. Let it get warm and melty. Don't let it boil.
4. When it's warmed and melty, temper your eggs by adding a small amount at a time of the caramel to the bowl of eggs. This keeps it from curdling. OR you can forget like I did and add the egg directly to the caramel and hope it doesn't curdle. and whisk it nicely. Mwahahahaah.
5. Yumm-o. Let it cook. It'll thicken up in a minute or two. Or three.
6. You should be able to part your caramel sea.
7. Grab your coconut. It must be toasted. You can add as much or as little as you want.
It's not required.
8. Poach or boil up an egg or two. Butter your bread. Toast it up. Slather your lovely all over that buttery bread.
Cut it in half.
Enjoy.
It's great dipped in that yellow runny stuff.
Serve with sweet creamy coffee for best results.
It'll store in your fridge about a week.
It'll store in your fridge about a week.
You have to make this. Now!
