Hash Brown Kaya Toast

Preparation

Prep Time: 45min | Cook Time: 45min

1. To make the Kaya Jam, begin by cracking the eggs into a large non-reactive bowl. Whisk in the coconut cream, coconut milk, and palm sugar. Once the mixture is smooth, pass it through a mesh strainer into a nonreactive saucepan (preferably a non-stick). Before the custard goes on the stove, mix the water and the potato starch together in a small bowl to make a slurry and set aside.
2. Over medium-low heat, continuously stir the custard using a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken (about 20 minutes). Add the water and potato starch slurry from earlier and continue to stir over the heat until the mixture thickens. The mixture will have lumps. This is perfectly normal. Remove from the heat and prepare the caramel.
3. Heat the sugar over medium heat in a small pan until it turns golden brown. Add the caramel to the kaya, stir well to combine, then add the pandan extract. If desired, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Allow the kaya to cool down, and stir in the pandan extract. (Pandan extract can be found at Asian supermarkets, online, and in some global specialty shops. If the clear pandan extract isn’t available, the green extract can be used, but just note that the color will be impacted). Set aside until ready to use.
5. To make the sabayon, whisk the yolks in a non-reactive stainless-steel bowl. Add the xiao xing wine and sugar. Rest the bowl in a saucepan over hot water. Whisk constantly for 4 to 5 minutes or more to cook the sauce until it has the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Clear the bottom of the bowl constantly with the whisk so that the eggs do not scramble, and adjust the heat as needed. Taste the sauce — the sabayon should never get too hot. When thick, foamy, and tripled in volume, remove from heat. Whisk in the butter, lemon juice, soy, and white pepper. Set the sabayon off to the side and keep warm.
6. To finish the dish, begin by frying the hash brown patties. In 375 F (190 C) oil, fry the hash browns until golden brown (5-6 minutes). Drain the hash browns well and season with flakey sea salt. Allow to cool slightly, carefully spread some kaya jam on each patty, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds if desired. Cut the patties in half-length wish so that two dippable sticks are made from each patty. Arrange on a serving plate or tray. Serve alongside the sabayon, which can be garnished with a little more soy and white pepper if desired.