Pandan Scented Duck Egg Custard
In Thailand, pandan leaves can be found everywhere even in the wild, where there is plenty of water. It is an amazingly fragrant leaf that stands up to freezing. I keep some in my freezer in case I am gifted with some duck eggs, an extraordinary treat when it does happen. Pandan can be found in the freezer section of most Asian stores. If you ever find them fresh, get them! You can freeze them yourself. The scent is enough to carry me to the sweetest memories of childhood. Even though this dish is often eaten as a desert steamed in a hallowed out komobocha squash, it makes a tasty breakfast dish as well.
Meagan Freed surprised me with beautiful duck eggs with me last month and inspired me to make this dish. Chicken eggs can be used, but duck eggs are delicious and make a much more firm custard.
Making your own coconut cream is not a difficult process, but there is a great coconut cream with no added sugars that we get at peoples food co-op called Aryo-D that saves us the work on busy days. I’ll post the method for making your own as soon as I have time!
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut cream
5 duck eggs
pinch of salt
2 pandan leaves cut into 4 or 5 inch pieces
Directions
Stir coconut cream into a bowl mixing the lumps until it is smooth.
Using a hand blender or whisk mix the eggs into the coconut until smooth. Add the pinch of salt and pour the mix into serving size cups, bowls or ramekins. Stand 2 or 3 leaves of pandan in each dish.
Place the dishes in a steamer with water in the pot below. Steam for 10 minutes or until the custard firms.
Enjoy hot eat cold both ways are delicious!