Sangkhaya: Thai Pandan Custard Dip

By Trin Kitisoontornpong

Whether it is a college student looking for a dessert to fuel an all-nighter or a middle school student returning home from cram school*, sangkhaya is a choice sure to please. Fluffy bread (Kanom Pang) dipped in the vivid green sweet sauce, Kanom Pang Sangkaya is a popular sweet that is offered by street vendors, night bazaars, and contemporary cafes across Thailand. The dip derives its color and fragrance from the pandan leaf. The fragrance is balanced with the flavor of fresh coconut milk to create a traditional sweet that is popular with Thai people across generations. Sangkhaya is often served in a similar fashion to fondue, warm alongside cubed bite-sized steamed white bread. Sometimes, for the sake of convenience, the concoction is served pre-poured on top of the bread. Sangkhaya and Kanom Pang paired with warm milk form a cornerstone of Thai late-night snacking culture.

* Cram schools are test preparation institutions common in Thailand that provide after-school supplementary courses for elementary through high school students. Unlike test preparation institutions in the United States that focus mainly on standardized exams, cram school offers a wide variety of subjects. The vast majority of Thai students attend these institutions, which take up most of their weekends and afternoons.

Ingredients

2 pandan leaves

1 cup of coconut milk

3 tablespoons condensed milk

3 tablespoons evaporated milk

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup of sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 loaf soft white or brioche bread or 12 soft white dinner rolls

Directions

Place the pandan leaves and coconut milk in a food processor and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture using a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove pandan fibers.
On medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a medium pot.
Add in the pandan-coconut milk mixture and condensed milk to the pot, and slowly whisk the mixture together until smooth.
When the mixture thickens to a consistency of yogurt, remove the mixture from the heat. This should take about 2 minutes.
Let the mixture cool completely.
Cube the bread or rolls into bite-sized pieces.
Steam the cubed bread or rolls by microwaving them for 1 minute in a covered container or bowl.
Place the warm dip in a dipping bowl and top it with the evaporated milk. Stir the mixture lightly so that evaporated milk is not entirely combined with the dip.
Serve sangkaya dip alongside the steamed bread cubes, or pour the dip over the steamed bread.
Enjoy the fragrance and sweet taste with a warm glass of milk!

Notes:

Frozen pandan leaves can be typically found in Asian grocery stores. Simply thaw by rinsing with water and patting dry before use.
If pandan leaves are not available, pandan extract tends to be readily available online and in Asian grocery stores. Extracts vary in terms of strength, and the user should consult the instructions printed on how to use the extract.