Kaya Toast (Singaporean Coconut Jam Butter Toast)
Kaya toast is a cornerstone of the Singaporean breakfast table, consisting of crisp-toasted white bread filled with kaya - a jam made from coconut milk, eggs, sugar, and pandan leaf - and a thick slab of cold butter. The kaya is cooked low and slow, stirred constantly until it thickens into a pale green spread with a fragrance that is floral, nutty, and caramel-sweet all at once. When the cold butter meets the hot toast, it begins to soften without fully melting, creating pockets of salt against the sweet jam. The traditional accompaniment is a pair of soft-boiled eggs seasoned with dark soy sauce and white pepper, meant to be mixed into a loose dip for the toast. The entire meal is washed down with kopi, a strong local coffee sweetened with condensed milk. This combination has remained virtually unchanged in Singaporean coffee shops for decades.
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Instructions
- 1
Trim bread edges and toast in a toaster or pan until crisp.
- 2
Spread kaya on one slice and place butter on the other.
- 3
Close the sandwich and cut in half.
- 4
Boil eggs for 6 minutes 30 seconds for soft center.
- 5
Serve eggs in a cup with soy sauce and pepper.
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Nutrition (per serving)
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