Kaya or better known as the Dulce De Leche* of Singapore is the primary component of our Traditional Breakfast, Kaya and Kopi.
The first element of the traditional breakfast is the Kaya Toast. This meal is easily accessible, affordable and appeals to all generations. It consists of thinly sliced toast, with a slab of butter and sweet kaya slathered over it. It is a dish that encompasses multiple flavours all at once. The crispiness of the bread that is toasted on top of a sizzling charcoal grill along with the saltiness of the butter and sweetness of the kaya, is an experience like none other. The kaya is a replication of the western concept of jam. It is made up of four basic ingredients – coconut milk, eggs, sugar and pandan leaves, which add to the aroma of the kaya. Despite its simplicity, it is a tedious process that requires hours of hard work and grinding of ingredients. Ultimately, kaya indeed lives up to its translation of ‘rich’ in Malay.
Accompanying this flavour bomb, the breakfast set includes two soft boiled eggs and a cup of freshly brewed kopi. The eggs is known to be ‘barely’ cooked because of the consistency. Served in a shallow dish with soy sauce and pepper, it serves as the perfect contrast to the sweetness of the kaya toast. Alongside that, the traditional kopi puts a twist on the western coffee. Singaporean Kopi includes Robusta beans, which are high in caffeine and are guaranteed to keep you awake all day. The traditional method of making kopi requires the use of ‘kopi socks’ since they did not have access to modern brewing appliances back in the day. In order to enhance the flavour of the kopi, they add lard or butter and condensed milk which caramelize the beans and give it a unique taste. However, Kopi has multiple variations to suit the taste buds of its customers. For example, ‘Kopi O’ would appeal to people who prefer black coffee while ‘Kopi Peng’ appeals to people who prefer a colder drink as it offers coffee with ice.
This traditional breakfast was first introduced by the Hainanese. The Hainanese’ sense of entrepreneurship and cooking skills allowed them to be able to set up shops on the roadside where they sold coffee. As years passed by, the pioneer generation of shops that specialised in this Traditional Breakfast such as Ya Kun and Kiliney Kopitiam started to emerge.
However, as the food paradise in Singapore expands, more cafes have been looking into revamping the traditional staple and putting a twist to it.
Instead of serving soft boiled eggs on the side, it has now been incorporated into the toast itself. One such café is Café Pandan which serves French Toast with kaya and butter on the side and the traditional Kopi. The fluffiness of the toast juxtaposes with the crispiness of the Traditional Kaya Toast that Singaporeans are acquainted with.
“We tried to keep our prices as affordable as possible because we are still traditional. Locals are not willing to pay as much if it is expensive.” says Café Pandan.
One of the main factors that contribute to Kaya and Kopi being a commonly loved breakfast is the fact that it is affordable and wallet-friendly for its portion. Hence, by keeping the revamped versions at a lower price, it will still continue to appeal to both the younger and older generations. However, Café Pandan is retaining the tradition of serving Kopi. They also serve Kopi Melaka in which the Kopi is served with palm sugar instead of regular sugar.
Similarly, another café that serves revamped Kaya and Kopi is Homeground Coffee Roasters. Their ‘Level Up Kaya Toast’ is a deconstructed version of kaya toast where the toast are cut into bite sizes and served with homemade kaya and butter from France. Along with that, their toast uses Hokkaido Milk toast which gives a different dimension to the usual charcoal-toasted bread that Singaporeans are acquainted with. “Our Kaya Toast is different yet familiar. You can think of it like a Kaya Toast with better ingredients. Hence the name Level Up Kaya Toast.” says Kang Long from Homeground Coffee Roasters.
The traditional Kopi may tend to be an acquired taste for the tourists. Hence, they serve Mocha, Espresso and Hot Chocolate which may be more appealing for people who do not like kopi.
The revamping of the Traditional Staple allows it to not only appeal to younger generations but to the huge masses such as the tourists or people who are not fans of the traditional version of Kaya and Kopi. Hence, with the new versions this Traditional staple can be pushed to people all around the world so that they will be willing to try it as well. At the same time, other people will become more aware of how Kaya and Kopi plays a significant role in our cuisine.
Keep scrolling to watch the video and find out more about the revamped versions of Kaya Toast and Kopi.
*Dulce De Leche: prepared by slow heating condensed milk with a flavour similar to caramel
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