Kaya toast is widely known as a traditional Singaporeanbreakfast item. It is also a well-known snack in Singapore and Malaysia and can be eaten during breakfast or as a afternoon snack. This dish was invented by Hainan immigrants to the Malay peninsula. Malaysians and Singaporeans often consume this food with a cup of tea or coffee, which has merited the snack's inclusion in many coffee houses. Singaporean companies such as Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Killiney Kopitiam are franchises which have proliferated serving this popular snack. Kaya toast is commonly prepared with kaya, made from a topping of sugar, coconut milk and eggs, pandan, and sometimes margarine or butter. Kaya is generally served on toast, and also sometimes on crackers. It is considered a breakfast staple, and remains popular in Singapore. The dish is sometimes dipped into soft-boiled egg with a little dark soy sauce and white pepper.
Origin
Kaya toast is believed to have been invented by Hainan immigrants to the Malay peninsula working on British ships. The dish was believed to have been adapted from toast served by the Hainanese when they were working as cooks for the British. Fruit jams that were served with toast was replaced with kaya, a jam local to Southeast Asia, as fruit jams were considered exotic and expensive by the local population during colonial rule. The dish was known to be served since 1919 in Singapore, with the founding of Kheng Hoe Heng by a Hainanese immigrant and with the founding of Ya Kun Coffeestall in 1944.
Variations
The dish is traditionally made from toasting two slices of bread on a charcoal grill, until there is visible browning to the toast. Kaya is then evenly spread on one side of the toast and slices of cold butter would be placed in the toast before serving. It is usually paired with teh or kopi and a side of two runny soft-boiled eggs, paired with dark soya sauce and white pepper. Variations of the dish includes using thick or thin slices of toast, using french toast instead of traditional bread, adding peanut butter or cheese together with the kaya.
