Thai Coconut Dessert with Steamed Pumpkin Recipe
Delicate pieces of pumpkin steamed and topped with a sweet coconut sauce make a simple, traditional Thai dessert. It’s light, naturally sweet and beautifully fragrant with coconut. In Thailand it’s often served after a spicy meal to soothe the palate.
This is a simplified version of the Thai dessert fak thong kaeng bua, where pumpkin is often paired with slightly salty coconut milk as a soothing finish to a spicy meal.
This dessert shows the more delicate side of Thai cuisine – instead of heavy cakes you get light, steamed pumpkin in a velvety coconut sauce. The natural sweetness of pumpkin combines with creamy, slightly salty coconut milk for a flavor that’s both soothing and exotic. It’s a traditional, simple dessert that gently calms the palate after hot, spicy dishes.
Why this version works
- Steaming the pumpkin instead of boiling it preserves its flavor, color, and firmness.
- The slightly salty coconut sauce enhances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness, so the dessert isn’t bland.
- Thickening with starch gives a pudding-like smoothness without eggs and without long cooking.
- A short ingredient list makes it easy to adjust the level of sweetness and salt to your taste.
Chef's tips
It’s very easy to overcook the pumpkin – start checking it with a fork after just 10 minutes; as soon as the fork slides in smoothly, take it off the steamer. If the sauce becomes too thick and matte, add 1–2 tablespoons of water or coconut milk and heat briefly until it once again coats the spoon smoothly. Use low heat, because coconut milk burns quickly around the sides of the pot and ruins the flavor.
How to serve
Serve the dessert in small bowls, topped with toasted sesame seeds or shredded coconut for a crunchy contrast. It’s perfect after a spicy curry or tom kha soup when you want something gentle but not heavy. To drink, choose unsweetened green or jasmine tea to refresh your palate.
Ingredients
- pumpkin (e.g. hokkaido or butternut) - 500 g
- coconut milk kokosowe z puszki - 250 ml
- palm sugar trzcinowy - 3 tablespoon
- salt - 0.25 teaspoon
- cornstarch or potato starch - 1 tablespoon
- water - 1 tablespoon
- desiccated coconut - 2 tablespoon
Preparation
- Peel the pumpkin (if you use hokkaido you can leave the skin on), remove the seeds and cut into bite-sized pieces, about 3 cm.
- Prepare a pot for steaming: pour water into the pot and place a steamer insert or sieve on top so it doesn’t touch the water. Arrange the pumpkin pieces on the insert in a single layer if possible.
- Steam the pumpkin for 12–15 minutes from the moment the water boils, until tender but not falling apart. Check with a fork – it should slide easily into the flesh.
- In a small saucepan, mix the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Place over low heat and warm, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is hot but not boiling.
- In a small bowl, mix the starch with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth and lump-free.
- Pour the starch mixture into the hot coconut milk, stirring constantly with a spoon or whisk. Cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens to the consistency of a thin custard.
- Transfer the steamed pumpkin to bowls or small plates.
- Pour the hot coconut sauce over the warm pumpkin. If you like, sprinkle the top with desiccated coconut.
- Serve the dessert warm or at room temperature.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I usually make this dessert when I’m left with half a can of coconut milk after cooking curry – there’s always pumpkin waiting in the pantry. I like the sauce just slightly thick, almost like warm coconut milk that you can scoop up with a spoon at the end.
