Kaya - Coconut Jam in Toronto

[Sooeygun]

My friend was in Singapore last year and loved the kaya (coconut jam). She was telling me abou the toast places where you could get toast with kaya, soft boiled eggs and tea for $2 SGD. I would like to get some kaya for her. Does anyone know where to get it here in Toronto? Preferably, downtown-ish.

[Charles Yu]

I bought all three different brands of Kaya jam from T&T and found them totally dis-satisfying.
This evening, whilst shopping at Foodie Mart at Steeles and Warden, I noticed they stock a small can by the name of 'POR KWAN - KAYA ( Coconut Jam ). At 99 cents each, I thought, What the hack and bought a can to try. Man!! Did I make the right decision!! Best Kaya jam in Toronto so far!! Full of coconut aroma and tasted pretty good! Had two kaya jam on toast as snack whilst watching the World Series!!

[chefhound]

Does anyone know if you can get pandan leaves at T&T?

[jlunar]

You may. Frozen section. Might be under screwpine instead pandan. I haven't bought at T&T but at other Chinese grocers. Might also have to hunt for it.

[szw]

Just to update, I found a nice Kaya sold by Gourmet Garden. I'm not sure if they are selling it at their store...but there is a food "outlet" in an industrial food complex at Finch/Kennedy that has some association with GG. They sell frozen containers of curry chicken/curry beef. I bought some sambal and kaya there as well. It seems like they are making fish balls and pastries and other stuff there....

Anyways I just stumbled upon it by accident one day so I don't know the address or name.

edit: I just google streetviewed it and the plaza name is "23 Milliken Boulevard". You can't see the store from the streetview but its the only shop with "malaysian" in the sign.

They had a bunch of other malaysian sauces being sold as well.

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Gourmet Garden Restaurant
4465 Sheppard Ave E, Toronto, ON M1S, CA

Milliken Restaurant
7725 Birchmount Rd, Markham, ON L3R9X3, CA

[wokster]

I've discovered that downtown Toronto is not really the place for Malaysian, Singaporean & Indonesian foodies. Firstly there isn't even a restaurant downtown representing this big food niche. And Secondly, not all grocery shops in Chinatown stock Kaya. Most of the shops are owned by either ppl from Mainland China or Koreans or Vietnamese. Often the Vietnamese shops would stock Kaya but the Mainland and Korean shops wouldn't have a clue. There is one shop where I found Kaya and its the most northern one ... the one closest to the intersection is run by Mainlanders and they didn't know anything about Malaysian food

I even bought the rice chung (dumplings) the small ones which you can eat with kaya! :D ... BUT the shop where I found the kaya only had the yellow colour one not the green pandan one .. sigh, but at least its some approximation of Kaya

[caitlink]

Does anyone know which supermarket in markham sells kaya? i went to market village and did not find any. Thx.

[jingloh]

T&T Supermarkets, I've seen kaya stocked there...

[jingloh]

I agree with Charles also, Yeo's is a great brand for kaya.

[szw]

The one in the blue can? I thought it was disgusting personally. I was so shocked that I think perhaps maybe it wasn't even kaya I bought and it was something else i got by mistake. Anyways, I found a brand available at stores here that I think is pretty good. Sorry I threw out the jar last week so I forgot the name, but it comes with a green label. I need to pick up another so I'll post again later on.

[taiga]

I bought Yeo's and tossed it.

[jingloh]

It's great to see people suggesting making your own kaya! I love it, especially on thin slices of toast and butter, soft boiled egg to dip it in, and a cup of teh tarik.

If you want to save the time, I suggest simply going to a Chinese grocery store. There are several varieties available too. T&T Supermarkets will surely have it and is probably the safest bet in terms of availability. I'm not sure which aisle you'll find it in though.

If you are even more desperate, you can also buy a bottle online and get it shipped here. Maybe malaysianfood.net? I've never purchased anything on it and in no way endorse the site, but the items are authentically Malaysian/Singaporean.

[Scary Bill]

Don't buy or make a large quantity. I'm pretty adventurous and it is to me very much an acquired taste and texture.

[jlunar]

Really? It's the texture of lemon curd, pretty much... didn't think it was that off-putting or challenging?

[Scary Bill]

All I can say is that we made some using a recommended coconut milk very fresh eggs and achieved an end result that fit any descriptions of a proper finished product and six of six people were not impressed enough to want it again. But I do acknowledge it's popularity to the point of being an iconic Malaysian breakfast staple, just not at my house.

[jlunar]

Fair enough! Just felt like you were describing the reaction people might have for a Durian spread or something :)

[jingloh]

Durian spread?!?! Where!?

[jlunar]

I was totally making that up, but I feel like someone has got to have thought of making it already...!

[raebmv]

I must comment that making a recipe that fits the description doesn't mean that the actual product was made. I suggest that you try a commercially made kaya (e.g. Yeo's) for reference (you may find that you *do* actually dislike kaya). I have had home made kaya (in Malaysia, no less!) that I found gross. But others that are divine!

[Charles Yu]

Its so popular, ALL Chinese Supermarket stock it! Especially the one by the S'pore company Yeo"S

[jlunar]

You could try making it on your own. Takes about an hour and lots of stirring. Can buy all the ingredients at most asian grocers. You'll have the most trouble finding pandan/screwpine leaves.

I am in the middle of writing the recipe up! Feel free to email me if you want it earlier than later.

Though, buying it is faster/cheaper.

[sweetie]

I have seen fresh pandan leaves at the Asian grocer near my house, so I can only assume that they are available at select locations in the GTA.

[jlunar]

I usually get the frozen ones, but it's always a bit of the luck of the draw. If you don't get fragrant ones, it really affects the outcome of your dessert.

Do you have the name of this Asian grocer? I'd like to see if fresh ones are any better..!

[sweetie]

Sure It is called T Phat, it's all the way out in Pickering though.
http://tphat.ca/specials/

[jlunar]

Hmn. That is rather far for me - but thank you for the link! Maybe I should look at more Vietnamese stores instead of Chinese ones...

[Kle]

I've bought it at T&T (midland and middlefield locations) I would assume the one in downtown location would have it too. I have also purchased it in Chinatown along Spadina but forgot the name of the specific store.

[mrsleny]

I'm intrigued and want to try some What section would I find the jam? I'm always overwhelmed by the selection and don't want to wander the aisles.