My Favorite Thai Dessert That My Mom Makes in the Fall.

At least once a year, my mother surprises me with something completely new from Thailand. Sometimes it’s a ceramic vase that was always kept in a hidden corner of the house, maybe a silk shawl or a wooden ornament that she brought with her to the United States decades ago. Some time ago, she decided to introduce faktong sangkaya, a pumpkin dessert with a sweet coconut custard center, on stage.

It’s not strange to me to find my mother cutting up melons and zucchini in her kitchen; she usually cuts them into smaller pieces. This time was different: she had a new pumpkin (in my opinion) and she was cleaning the inside of it like it was Halloween in September. I asked her what she was doing and she said, “You won’t like the name, fuck-tong sangkaya.”

The polite internet transliteration is “factong”, so we’ll stick to that. My mom claimed that she used to make factong sangkai, but I swear I would remember her pouring custard into a whole pumpkin. I suppose she could do it without me, but it’s impossible. Parents never do anything special for themselves without their children, right?

What is a faktong sangkaya?

“Faktong” translates to pumpkin and “Sangkaya” means steamed custard. The dish is made by cutting out the top of a whole kabocha squash and removing the seeds from the center to create a large pumpkin bowl. It’s not much different from making a jack-o’-lantern, but that’s where the similarities end. The center of the kabocha is filled with a simple coconut milk custard. The whole pumpkin is steamed, although my mom sometimes bakes it instead. The dessert is served by cutting the cooked kabocha into wedges to reveal the sunny orange hue of the squash and the delicate custard inside.

Kabocha squashes are preferred for this dessert because, like other bulbous squashes, their shape is perfect for steaming. They are squat, round, but flattened, small and fit well in a double boiler. Personally, I like the texture. It has a very firm flesh that makes it feel creamy, as well as subtle sweet and nutty notes. You can do the same with other zucchini, but make sure it fits in the pan you’re using.

How to Make Thai Pumpkin Custard, Faktong Sangkaya

Faktong sangkaya is a great choice for dessert at a dinner party. Small kabocha squash are hard to find near me, so I only make them when several people can enjoy them. However, if you can find miniature ones, you can definitely make them for two people and store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Traditionally, palm sugar and pandan leaf are used for coconut milk custard, but these can be difficult to find – at least for me. I modified this recipe from Hot Thai Kitchen by replacing these two ingredients with brown sugar and vanilla extract. Brown sugar is sweeter than palm sugar, so you don’t need as much.

Fakthong Sangkai (Thai Pumpkin Custard) Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 small kabocha squash (or other squash you like)

• 1 cup coconut milk, full fat

• ⅔ cup brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon rice flour

• 6 whole eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine coconut milk, salt and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a measuring cup. Let it cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, using a strong paring knife, trim the stem of the kabocha squash. Remove the “lid” and save it for decorative purposes or throw it away. Remove seeds and soft, fibrous center. Throw these things away. Pour water into a large saucepan with a steamer attachment on the bottom; the water level should not be so high that it touches the bottom of the squash. Place the hollowed out kabocha inside.

3. Place a couple of tablespoons of the cooled coconut milk mixture in a separate bowl and whisk the rice flour into it until dissolved. Add it back to the rest of the coconut milk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and then slowly add the coconut milk mixture.

4. Place a sieve over the kabocha and pour the custard through the sieve directly into the squash. Stop once it reaches the top of the inner cavity. (Depending on the size of the pumpkin, additional custard may be needed.) Cover the steamer and cook the faktong sangkai over medium-low heat for 45 to 50 minutes. When this is done, the center custard will have puffed up and the internal temperature will be 150 to 160°F. Let the faktong sankai cool for at least 20 minutes before handling and cutting into wedges. (I like to sprinkle the piece with a little salt.)

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