The classic custard cooked in a pumpkin is one of many popular custards in Thailand. As here, coconut, sweet potato, jackfruit and taro are also used as flavourings. Serve in banana leaves, as shown, or pour the mixture into baby pumpkins.
Ingredients
Banana leaves
- 3 fl oz 1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut milk
- 7 eggs
- 10 oz (275 g) palm sugar (jaggery), cut into small pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 fresh pandanus leaves, dried and cut into small pieces, bruised, or 3 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
- 4 oz (100 g) young coconut meat, cut into small pieces, or orange sweet potato, jackfruit or taro, cut into matchsticks
How to Make It
- To soften the banana leaves and prevent them from splitting, put them in a hot oven for about 10–20 seconds, or blanch them briefly. Cut the banana leaves into 12 circles about 13 cm (5 in) in diameter with the fibre running lengthways.
- Place one circle with the fibre running lengthways and another on top with the fibre running across. Make a 1 cm (½ in) deep tuck 4 cm (1½ in) long (4 cm in from the edge and no further) and pin securely with a small sharp toothpick. Repeat this at the opposite point and at the two side points, making four tucks altogether. Flatten the base as best you can. Repeat to make six cups. Alternatively, use a small shallow rectangular cake tin.
- Combine the coconut milk, eggs, palm sugar, salt and pandanus leaves in a bowl, using a spoon, for 10 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl and discard the pandanus leaves.
- Add the coconut, orange sweet potato, jackfruit or taro to the custard and lightly mix. Spoon the mixture into each banana leaf cup, filling to 1 cm (½ in) from the top.
- Half fill a wok or a steamer pan with water, cover and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Place the custard cups on a plate. Use a plate that will fit on the rack of a traditional bamboo steamer basket or on a steamer rack inside the wok or steamer pan. Taking care not to burn your hands, place the plate on the bamboo steamer or steamer rack inside the wok or pan. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10–15 minutes. Check and replenish the water after 10 minutes. Serve the custards at room temperature or chilled. They can be covered and refrigerated for up to three or four days before serving.
