Kaya Toast with Half Boiled Egg is a classic Kopi Tiam breakfast in Singapore and Malaysia. It’s served with a Hainanese-style coffee. Kaya is a sweet, creamy coconut jam made of coconut cream, beaten eggs, and palm sugar infused with pandan leaves. During a layover last spring, my girls and I tasted this at Changi Airport.
Anko is a Japanese sweetened red bean paste that is spread on toast. This is also called Ogura toast which became popular in Nagoya and is usually served in cafes as part of a “morning set.” This is typically served with a boiled egg, coffee, and a salad. I have written a post on Ogura toast a while back, and you can read it here.
I found that these two Asian breakfast share similarities, so I combined the two. I wanted Kaya toast that morning, but sadly don’t have any. I did have some Anko butter spread that I recently purchased from Muji, so I ended up making this.
First, make your half-boiled egg. Take 2-3 eggs out of the fridge and let them sit at the counter for around 15-20 minutes to take out the chill. Get a saucepan and fill it with enough water to cover the eggs. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and add 1/2 cup cold water, then gently lower your eggs one at a time using a spoon. Cover and let stand for 6 minutes. Then promptly remove the eggs from the pan. Gently crack the eggs with the back of a spoon and let the yolks slip out into a bowl. Then scoop the remaining egg whites inside the shell; this will be very soft and silky. Add a few drops of soy sauce. (Optional)
Then toast two pieces of white bread and remove the crust. Generously spread a slice of bread with Anko, then place a thick cut of cold butter before covering it with the other piece. Then cut the toast in half.
Serve with coffee and the half-boiled egg. I like to dip the toast in the egg or the hot coffee.
