Coconut jam is a spread, or curd, made from a base of coconut milk, eggs, and sugar. Enormously popular in south-east Asia, especially Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, it can be found sold in jars or tins in western countries under various brand names. Throughout Asia there are regional variations. In the Philippines, for example, it is made with coconut cream and cane sugar extracts or molasses and is often eaten on toast. Thailand has two varieties, one more liquid than the other, the thicker one being spread on steamed or toasted bread while the runnier one is used more as a dip for bread.
Variations in colour which are found depend on the types of eggs used and other ingredients. In Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei, duck or chicken eggs can be used and a pandan leaves (from the screw palm or screw pine tree) are used for flavouring. The pandan leaves also give it a distinctive aroma and a greenish colour. In the Philippines, it can be made with dark brown sugar, giving it a brown colour.
The easiest way to use it is to simply spread it on hot, thick, buttered toast, which is what they do in Singapore for breakfast, served alongside soft boiled egg with soy sauce and white pepper. In the Philippines, they like it with hot pandesal – white salt-bread rolls with crusty shells and soft centres.
It could also be used a filling in layer cakes.
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