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Hey there! I just want to say this whole Top Chef Masters experience has been incredible and I've been honored to have been a part of it. And on top of everything I've won $32,500.00 for the Scleroderma Research Foundation, so no matter what...I feel fantastic! ...the Kaya Toast is THE most popular dish on our menu at STREET. I want to know what you think. If you can't come in to STREET, make it at home! The recipe is here so try it and let me know how it turns out.
Kaya Toast is a popular dish unique to Singapore and
often served 
with hot coffee or tea. It's also known as
a hangover cure.
In 1926, Loi Ah Koon, a 15 year old Chinese boy, emigrated
to Singapore as one of the many Chinese laborers fleeing
a strife-torn China. In Singapore, he found work as
an apprentice in a coffee stall. After learning the trade,
he opened his own stall, serving charcoal grilled toast,
coffee and eggs. When his wife joined the business
in 1936, she put KAYA (the local name for the sweet
coconut and egg jam) on the menu (Yah Kun is
the translation of Ah Koon's name in the local dialect).
Kaya Toast and Ya Kun himself found their way into the hearts of many loyal customers over the years, his coffee stall even won awards for courtesy.
In 1998, Mr. Ya Kun passed on, leaving the business to his eight children who still run it today. The famous Ya Kun Kaya Toast is now franchised in Singaore with more than 25 branches, but the original is located in the Far East Square in Singapore.
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SUSAN FENIGER’S KAYA TOAST
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 1
Coconut milk will separate; stir well before measuring. Pandan leaves can be found at Thai and many general Asian markets. Dark soy sauce is a slightly thicker soy sauce and is available at Asian markets.
COCONUT JAM:
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
8 pandan leaves, washed and tied into a knot
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1. In a small saucepot, mix together the coconut milk and one-half cup sugar. Stir in the pandan leaves and salt and bring to a boil over high heat, keeping the pandan submerged in the milk as the leaves cook and soften. When the milk has come to a boil, remove from heat and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the pandan leaves from the milk, squeezing any excess liquid from the leaves into the milk. Discard the leaves.
3. In a medium stainless steel mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and remaining one-half cup sugar. Whisk in the coconut milk mixture to form a custard base.
4. Place the stainless steel bowl over a medium pot of lightly simmering water. Gently cook the custard, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. The final texture should have a thick custard consistency (a trail of the spatula should remain on the surface of the custard for more than 10 seconds).
5. Immediately remove from heat and strain into a medium bowl set over a larger bowl of ice water. Stir until the custard cools, then cover and refrigerate until needed. This makes about 2 cups coconut jam, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe; the jam will keep for 1 week, refrigerated.
KAYA TOAST PLATE ASSEMBLY:
2 tablespoons coconut jam
2 slices dense white bread, such as pain de mie or pullman, toasted on 1 side
1 1/2 tablespoons shaved salted butter
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Dash ground white pepper
1 soft boiled egg, peeled
1. Spread the coconut jam evenly over both slices of bread on the untoasted side, then place a layer of shaved butter over the jam. Place one slice of bread over the other to form a sandwich.
2. Halve the sandwich, then cut each half into thirds to form 6 even wedges.
3. Pour the dark soy sauce over the egg and dash with the pepper. Serve the egg alongside the sandwich wedges.
Copyright © 2009 Susan Feniger's STREET