Sangkaya Fak Thong (Pumpkin Coconut Custard)
A whole kabocha pumpkin filled with palm sugar and coconut custard, steamed until set and cut into striking orange and gold wedges.
- Region
- Central Thailand
- Condiments
- Palm Sugar
- Vegetables
- Pandan Leaf, Pumpkin
- Fruits
- Coconut
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha pumpkin, about 1.2–1.5 kg, with a flat base
- 5 large eggs (or 4 duck eggs)
- 200 ml coconut cream
- 130 g palm sugar, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 pandan leaves, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 1 tbsp water
- Neutral oil, for the inside of the pumpkin
Instructions
Sangkaya is a Thai coconut custard, and steaming it inside a whole pumpkin is the most spectacular way to serve it. When the pumpkin is cut, each wedge shows a band of dense orange flesh around a smooth, caramel-coloured custard. It is a favourite at markets and temple fairs, sold by the slice and wrapped in banana leaf.
It needs a little care: a pumpkin with no cracks, a custard that is strained so it sets smooth, and a gentle steam. Once it is in the steamer, there is nothing to do but wait.
Method
- Wash the pumpkin well. Cut a lid around the stem at an angle, so it sits back in place without falling in. Scoop out the seeds and fibres from the pumpkin and the lid with a spoon, scraping the inside clean. Rub the inside lightly with oil and pat away any moisture.
- Pound or blend the pandan leaves with the water, then squeeze the pulp through a cloth or sieve to get about 1 tbsp of green juice.
- In a bowl, squeeze and mix the palm sugar with the eggs with your hands or a whisk until the sugar has fully dissolved; this takes a few minutes. Do not whisk hard, as you do not want foam.
- Stir in the coconut cream, salt and pandan juice. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug.
- Set the pumpkin on a heatproof plate in a steamer and pour in the custard, leaving 1 cm at the top. Put the lid on top, or steam it separately alongside.
- Steam over medium heat, not a hard boil, for 45–60 minutes, until a skewer pushed into the custard comes out clean and the pumpkin flesh is tender. Wipe the steamer lid now and then so water does not drip onto the custard.
- Leave the pumpkin to cool completely, then chill for at least 2 hours. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife and serve cold or at room temperature.
Cook’s tips
- A rolling boil makes the custard puff up and turn spongy. Keep the steam gentle and steady for a smooth, dense set.
- Cutting the pumpkin warm makes the custard slip out of the shell. Patience, and an overnight chill, give the cleanest slices.
Aroy Mak Mak
Aroy Mak Mak is a small team writing about the food of Thailand and its neighbours: recipes you can cook at home, guides to the ingredients behind them, and places worth travelling for. The name means "very delicious" in Thai. Every recipe on the site lists its ingredients, timings and method in full, explains the techniques that matter, and suggests substitutes for ingredients that are hard to find outside Thailand. The guides to regions, condiments, vegetables and fruits explain what things are, how they are used and how to buy and store them. Place pages are researched from current sources, including the latest Michelin Guide Thailand, official websites and maps, and give addresses, opening hours and what to order. Where a detail could not be confirmed, it is left out rather than guessed.