Nonya Kaya Coconut Jam
Wed, 11/02/2011 - 05:00 | 
Lvoers 
Nonya Kaya or coconut jam. Have you tried? Do you like?
I was picking up some specialty items in the Osaka Supermarket at Yaohan Centre a few weeks ago and I spied this on the shelf next to the coconut milk. Coconut Jam! I impulsively grab a jar and place it in my rolling basket. (Seriously, all supermarkets should have these rolling baskets. It's a hand-basket with an elongated handle with castors on the bottom. Freakin' genius, I say!)
Nonya Kaya Coconut Jam ($4.69 for a 400g jar)
I can’t recall the price exactly, but it’s in the neighbourhood of $4.69. The coconut jam is made with coconut milk, eggs (duck or chicken), sugar and pandan leaves. The egg yolks and amount of pandan will give it the yellowish green colour you see here.
Just four ingredients and this lovely spread is the result. Y’know when you bust open a coconut? That’s what the jar of jam smells like. I know there are no nuts in the jam, but the kaya has a nutty aroma to it. The egg-based custard jam is sweet, rich and smooth.
I know, it’s not at all photogenic. It’s green. Not just any green, but an ugly phlegm green. I can understand if you may want to pass on this, but I may have found a new obsession. I paired the spread with some thick cut bread. Have you ever had bread from an Asian bakery? The bread is almost always baked Pullman-styles, giving way to perfectly square slices. Also, it’s much ‘sweeter’ than other bread. It’s like eating cake. So when I pair up this soft, dense chewy bread with the nonya kaya, it’s a little slice of heaven.
I didn’t noitice coconut jam the last time I was in Cheng Kwong Grocery or Eastuff Grocery in Kamloops, but I will make a point of checking next time. I can’t see myself making it at home, but if you can, then here’s a coconut jam recipe that uses a bread-maker machine to do the hard work.
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Coconut Jam, is it just for bread?
I was wondering if there are other uses for this jam? Could a person use this in a dipping sauce, for example? Does anyone have any suggestions? I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks
Uses for Kaya
You can make bao/Chinese steamed buns Just like barbecued pork buns except it's with kaya filling. You can also spread it on crackers of your choice. It is also used in some Malaysian desserts, like kuih tai tai.
Re: Coconut Jam, is it just for bread?
Welcome HungryBRC,
Do you have a jar of Coconut Jam just waiting for ideas?
I'm still in the honeymoon phase of loving this stuff, so I have only been using it as a spread on various kinds of breads, biscuits and scones.
I, too, am interested if there are other uses for Nonya Kaya. Maybe Ben might chime in...
L.
kaya?
i've had something was was orange in colour that i thought was kaya because my mom called it kaya. what was it?
Yes, it's probably kaya.
There are two types of kaya, nyonya kaya which is cooked with extracted skrewpine leaf juice. Regular kaya is cooked with just the skrewpine leaves without the juice. The amber color comes fm the Caramelised sugar.
Re: Kaya?
Hi Anon,
I'm not an authority on this, but from what I have seen on the shelves, some kaya can be brownish orange if the kaya is made with brown sugars. Perhaps this is the case with your orangey kaya. (?)
Was it good?
Happy eating,
L.
That is what I missed!!
This is so spooky. I just asked Suanne to bring some kaya from Vancouver when she comes over to Beijing tomorrow! After so many weeks of marmalade, I really miss kaya. I like spreading it with butter ... butter below and then top with Kaya. And on top of toast or steamed white bread. Yeah, steaming sliced bread gives it a real diff.
What is a must is to have it on toast White Coffee. Heard of White Coffee? It is a Malaysian coffee where they roast the beans in BUTTER! You might love it. They sell it in one of those 3-in-1 packets you find in many Asian stores in Richmond. Give that a try and let me know what you think!
Ben
Re: That is what I missed! - Nonya Kaya Coconut Jam
Hi Ben,
Yes! I have had White Coffee, but I have only had it in the instant 3-in-1 packets. I keep a stash of it in my desk at work! Do you know of a place that serves it "non-instant?"
Happy travels,
L.
White Coffee
Cool! Not many people have discovered white coffee yet because it does not get a lot of publicity/coverage here in Vancouver.
No, I only had it in 3-in-1 types here. In Malaysia, there is a kopitiam (Malaysian coffee shops) chain that serves great white coffee. That is a world difference but the 3-in-1 is a worthy substitute.