More than Veggies

110

INGREDIENTS

300 g silken tofu (the type

suitable for frying)

100 ml coconut cream

200 ml coconut milk

tsp salt

150 g white sugar

2–4 pandan leaves, knotted

50 g raw or brown sugar

(for colour)

METHOD

Place tofu in a sieve to remove excess water.

Blend the drained tofu in a blender until you get a smooth,

creamy liquid. Pour into a stainless steel mixing bowl, then

add coconut milk, coconut cream, salt and white sugar. Whisk

until combined.

Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Place mixing

bowl over the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir

continuously for 15 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.

Strain into another mixing bowl to remove any lumps. Sit the

bowl over the heated pot again and add in pandan leaves.

In another small pan, melt raw sugar over medium-low heat,

stirring continuously until there are no sugar crystals and a

caramel forms.

Add caramel to the tofu mixture. Cook for 20–30 minutes,

stirring every 5 minutes until mixture is slightly thinner

than the desired consistency. The

kaya

will thicken in the

refrigerator. Let cool, transfer into a clean container and

store in the refrigerator. The

kaya

can be kept for up to 5 days.

NOTES

•

Different brands of coconut milk and tofu will vary in taste. Some

tofu yield a jam with a soy aftertaste. Generally, I find that organic

tofu gives a stronger soy taste, which I do not prefer in

kaya

. Some

brands of coconut milk or cream give a strong coconut aftertaste.

Experimentation is needed to achieve the flavour you like.

•

A traditional

kaya

recipe uses white sugar, but you may experiment

by replacing it with raw, palm or coconut sugar for a richer caramel

flavour and colour. Ultimately,

kaya

, like many Southeast Asian foods,

has no recipe set in stone.

•

Salt is important in a sweet recipe, as it not only boosts flavour but

also helps to preserve the jam for longer.

•

If an eggy hint is preferred, adding 1 tsp black salt (

kala namak

) at

step 5 after removing from heat does the trick.

hainanese kaya

Makes 300 ml