← Nouns Cooking · Thai

Ingredients

• 1 small kabocha squash (about 1 kg)
• 4 large eggs
• 180 ml full-fat coconut milk
• 100 g palm sugar or coconut sugar, grated
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 2 pandan leaves)

Method

1. Scrub the pumpkin. Cut a lid around the stem at a slant, like a jack-o’-lantern, and scrape out all the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon. Check it sits flat; trim a thin slice off the base if it wobbles.
2. Whisk the eggs, coconut milk, palm sugar, salt and vanilla together (if using pandan, squeeze the chopped leaves into the mix and discard them) until the sugar has completely dissolved. Strain through a sieve for a silky custard.
3. Set the pumpkin in a heatproof bowl inside a large steamer and fill it with the custard to about 1 cm below the rim. Set the lid alongside.
4. Steam over gently boiling water for 45–60 min, topping up the water as needed, until the pumpkin flesh is tender and a knife pushed into the centre of the custard comes out clean.
5. Lift out carefully and cool for at least 1 hour, so the custard firms up. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tips

• Contains egg. Keep the steam gentle: fierce boiling makes the custard puff up and turn spongy.
• Leftover custard can be steamed in small cups for 15–20 minutes alongside.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Rachel Cooks Thai Marion's Kitchen Temple of Thai