Pumpkin Custard (Sankya L'pov)

Happy New Year everyone! Hope it is going to be a very good one for you all. :-)

Today I'd like to share the recipe using pumpkin. Pumpkins are used not only as vegetable in Khmer cooking but it is also popular among the dessert category. There are various types of pumpkin dessert, you can find it in a form of fluffly steamed in banana leaf, pudding and custard filled. When I was young (younger?) I thought this dessert must be only made for the Royal Family for its name in Khmer sounds so elegant "Sankya L'pov", (Sankya is custard) and my family perhaps ate it only once every four to five years so rare that it gave me such thought. On the other hand, due to its posh presentation, I can't help but thinking it must be difficult to make - I was so wrong. 

My first try to make this pumpkin custard, was around Christmas shortly after I arrived D.R. I wanted to surprise my man with my culinary skill which I only gained some months before my depature, my younger brother wanted to ensure my new life is good he loaded my shelves with 5 cooking books for me to learn. That was when I knew, pumpkin custard isn't hard to make since the ingredients can be easily found just about anywhere (not sure about North Pole though). OKAYYY!

Long story short, now let's do this.

Ingredients:

1 medium, nice round and quite flat pumpkin

2 eggs, 1 egg yolk

2 cups coconut milk

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt 

Directions:

1. Clean the pumpkin thoroughly since you will eat the outside too. Cut top of the pumpkin as shown in a photo above, keep the lid and scoop out the fibrous strands and seeds. Clean the cavity. Press the paper towel inside the pumpkin to dry

2. In a small saucepan, combine milk and sugar. On low flame, stir the combination until sugar dissolve. Flame off. Let cool

3. Mix the flour with 3 tbs of milk/sugar solution until smooth

4. Put eggs and a yolk, flour solution, milk/sugar solution and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat well to combine. That's your 'future' custard

5. Pour the mixture into the pumpkin. Close lid

Steaming:

1. If you don't have the proper steaming pot, don't worry. A big cooking pot should do it. Place a pumpkin in heat proof bowl, secure it tight by squeezing aluminium foil in the space between pumpkin and the bowl to prevent pumpkin from cracking. Place in the pot and add water just below the bowl rim. Pot lid on. Adding water to the pot when it reduces

2. On medium heat, steam for 1h 40mins or when the skewer stick insert in the custard is clean and dry when pulled out
3. Serve cold in slices. Always clean the knife after each cut so your custard remain clean in colour without getting the yellow from the pumpkin. I like it with a cup of hot tea

After letting it cool off over night

Hope you like this recipe?!