Easy Thai Tea Kaya Recipe (Thai Tea Sangkhaya)

This easy Thai tea kaya recipe uses the same technique as my pandan kaya recipe to get silky-smooth results.

Malaysia has kaya, and Thailand has sangkhaya – both are essentially coconut milk and egg-based custard. The only difference is Malaysian kaya is often spreadable, whereas Thai sangkhaya is either set solidly like a pudding, or in a thick but runny, dipping consistency.

On looking at all the different recipes out there, it seems like the main difference between Malaysian kaya and Thai dipping sangkhaya is that the latter uses flour as a secondary thickening agent alongside the eggs, which also helps stop the eggs from curdling.

Luckily, my method for making kaya also includes a failsafe in case the eggs curdle in the absence of flour – so I decided to adapt my already-tried-and-tested recipe to make this Thai tea version.

You can also watch me make this on my YouTube channel, Tashcakes:

Ready? Let's go.

Ingredients:

200ml full fat coconut milk
2 tbsp Thai tea leaves
4 eggs
100g caster sugar
Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Place the coconut milk and Thai tea in a small saucepan, heat on a medium heat, and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.

2. Let the infused coconut milk cool completely before straining through a muslin cloth or nut milk bag, discarding the tea leaves and collecting the infused coconut milk in a bowl.

3. Whisk in the eggs, sugar and salt, and pass through a fine sieve into a wok or large saucepan to catch any bits of egg or stray tea leaves.

4. Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 20–30 minutes or until thickened. Stirring with a balloon whisk will help stop clumps from forming.

5. If your kaya has curdled, or even if you just want the silkiest finish possible, let your kaya cool a little before blitzing with a stick blender (or putting the whole lot in a jug blender, but a small stick blender is more convenient).

5. Transfer the kaya into a clean jar and leave to cool completely before serving. It'll keep in the fridge for a week.

Enjoy, and have fun.