Ever since I heard about Kaya, I wondered what made this spread so special. Kaya and the quintessential Kaya toast are two things people in Southeast Asia are crazy about. If you ever visit Singapore, you’ll find that every small eatery there sells a wide variety of Kaya toasts. And accompanied by a cup of coffee, it makes for the perfect breakfast.

Initially, Kaya sounded really fascinating to me but I never actually tried it, because I’m not that fond of jams, and coconut and eggs didn’t sound like my type of combination anyway. It’s just another jam, right? Turned out, I was wrong.

The combination of coconut, eggs and sugar can actually make a jam which is addictively amazing. It is sweet, but not too sweet, with a thick and smooth texture. These specifications will obviously vary according to how you’re cooking it, but the taste is more or less the same. To be honest, this is probably the first jam I’ve loved this much in my entire life.

So I decided to find out the recipe, try making it at home myself, and share it with as many people as I possibly can if I succeed. And guess what? Despite being horrible at cooking, I succeeded in making something that looked and tasted just like the Kaya they sell in markets. That’s how simple this recipe is. So here you go, DIY and enjoy what is considered to be the best breakfast in Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia.

#SpoonFact: Kaya means “rich” in Malay, so this word basically defines its own texture. And that’s the kind of jam texture we’re aiming for here.

Kaya (Coconut Egg Jam)

  • Prep Time:35 minutes
  • Cook Time:20 minutes
  • Total Time:55 minutes
  • Servings:One bottle or jar
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 7 oz sugar
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 4 pandan leaves
  • 3 tablespoon sugar for caramel
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon water
Photo by Aakanksha Joshi
  • Step 1

    Crack the eggs into a bowl and add coconut milk, coconut cream and sugar to it. Mix it well.

    Photo by Aakanksha Joshi
  • Step 2

    Pour this mixture into a non-stick saucepan and add pandan leaves to it. Heat it at medium-low heat.

  • Step 3

    Mix cornstarch with water and add this cornstarch mixture to the kaya mixture. This will make it thicker.

    Photo by Aakanksha Joshi
  • Step 4

    Stir the mixture for about 20 minutes.

  • Step 5

    Now, heat sugar in a saucepan till it melts to form golden-brown coloured caramel.

    Photo by Aakanksha Joshi
  • Step 6

    Add the caramel to your kaya mixture and stir well.

  • Step 7

    When the colour of the kaya mixture is golden-brown, turn off the heat.

  • Step 8

    Let the mixture cool down and then discard the pandan leaves. To get rid of the lumps, put the mixture in a blender and blend well until you reach a smooth, rich consistency.

    Photo by Aakanksha Joshi
  • Step 9

    Transfer this to a container and store in a refrigerator.

    #SpoonTip: You can only store it like this for a week, so finish it before that. If you love it as much as I do, this wouldn’t be a problem.

    Photo by Aakanksha Joshi