Method
- Whisk the eggs in a wide bowl. Whisk in palm sugar, coconut cream, salt and vanilla.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a heat-proof bowl or 4 small ramekins. Add the pandan leaves to the bowl (or split between ramekins) — they steep during the steam.
- Set up a steamer with rapidly boiling water. Place the bowl(s) on the steamer rack. Cover the top with foil pierced with a few holes — this prevents condensation dripping back into the custard.
- Steam over medium-low heat (a hard boil makes the custard pock-marked) for 25–30 minutes — a skewer inserted into the custard should come out clean.
- Cool to room temperature; the custard sets further as it cools. Discard pandan leaves.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled. The custard can be eaten on its own with a spoon, or paired with sticky rice for the Lao breakfast version (sangkhaya kha rice).
Common questions
Can Sangkhaya be made ahead?
Sangkhaya is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 30 minutes.
Is Sangkhaya spicy?
Sangkhaya as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Sangkhaya vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is Sangkhaya to make at home?
Sangkhaya is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 40 minutes, no special technique required.
Can Sangkhaya be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Sangkhaya is the Lao egg-coconut custard — the same dish exists in Cambodia (sangkhya), Thailand (sangkaya) and Indonesia (sri kaya), all sharing the same root. The Lao version is gentler, less aggressively sweet than the Indonesian, and uses pandan rather than the Cambodian cardamom. The dish is breakfast food when paired with sticky rice (the rice is dipped into the custard) and dessert when eaten alone. Lao temple ceremonies sometimes include sangkhaya as part of food offerings.
