By making this recipe, you’re honouring traditional Thai cooking methods and ingredients, while adding a touch of your own creativity. It’s a great way to connect with another culture right in your own kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 1 Kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin)
- 10 cups water (for steaming)
- 5 eggs
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (rich Mae Ploy brand preferred for desserts)
- 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frozen pandanus leaf or pandanus leaf flavour)
Method:
Cut the top off the kabocha squash to create a lid.
Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from the inside of the pumpkin.
Rinse the pumpkin and pat dry.
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl.
Add the coconut milk, coconut palm sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract (or pandanus flavour).
Whisk until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the custard mixture into the hollowed out kabocha squash.
Replace the pumpkin lid.
Bring 10 cups of water to the boil in a large saucepan.
Place the filled pumpkin in a steamer basket over the boiling water.
Cover and steam for about 45 minutes or until the custard has set.
Once the custard has set, remove the pumpkin from the steamer and leave to cool.
When cooled, slice the pumpkin into wedges, making sure that each piece has a portion of the custard.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
