Homemade Kaya Toast & Malaysian White Coffee (Ipoh Old Town Recipe)

Making Kaya Toast and Ipoh White Coffee at home: pandan kaya, salty butter, soft-boiled egg dip, and Kopi Peng iced coffee. Vincent approved.

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After our stop at Kopitiam in New York, we came home craving the real thing. I decided to recreate the classic Malaysian and Singaporean breakfast at home: Kaya Toast with soft-boiled eggs and Ipoh White Coffee. Vincent, who grew up in Kuching, Sarawak, was the official taste tester.

The Ingredients

Milk bread: I picked up thick milk bread from Paris Baguette at H Mart. You need something fluffy and substantial enough to hold up to toasting and spreading.

Pandan Kaya spread: If you only remember one thing from this recipe, buy the Pandan Kaya version rather than the plain one. The pandan adds a fragrant, sweet quality that makes the whole toast work. The plain version does not compare.

Butter: Either thin cold slices or spread out on the warm toast. Vincent prefers it spread. Either way, the salty butter melting into the sweet Kaya is the whole point.

Old Town White Coffee (Extra Kaw): This is a staple Malaysian brand. Kaw means extra rich and thick. This is the one to get.

The Soft-Boiled Eggs: What Went Wrong and How I Fixed It

Traditional soft-boiled eggs for Kaya Toast are made by pouring hot water over room-temperature eggs and letting them sit for 6 minutes. I tried this method. Even with the eggs left out overnight, they came out too runny.

The fix: I put the slightly runny eggs in the microwave for just under a minute. I was convinced they would overcook. With a quick stir, they turned out great. I added half a tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of white pepper right before serving.

The combination of dipping crispy toast into the savory, peppery egg is genuinely one of the best flavor combinations in Malaysian breakfast food.

Brewing the Coffee: Hot and Kopi Peng (Iced)

For the hot version, follow the instructions on the packet.

For the iced version, which Vincent says is called Kopi Peng in Malaysia, there are no instructions. You have to agak-agak, which means eyeball it. I used a small amount of hot water to dissolve the powder, added ice, and topped with cold water to taste. It is significantly stronger and richer than standard Korean instant coffees.

The Verdict

Vincent gave it a full thumbs up. His words, in his best Malaysian accent: "Shiok lah!" Which means it's delicious.

The salty butter against the sweet pandan kaya, with the crispy toast dipped into the savory egg, is a combination that holds up even when you are making it far from Southeast Asia.

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