This is one of my favorite Burmese desserts, a firm gelatin made of only a few ingredients. My dear friend Juju shared this recipe. Using a medium sauce pan, combine 1 ½ Mugs (see Note 1 below) white sugar, 1 package (0.88 oz) Telephone brand agar powder, 1 tsp (or slightly less) salt, and 5 Mugs of water. Bring to a boil, then add 27 oz coconut milk (preferably two 13.5 oz cans Chaokoh brand ). Keep uncovered. Let simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring to avoid clumps. Pour mixture into a 9×12 Pyrex baking dish with built-in handles (or alternatively, one 8×8 baking dish and another container for overage). Leave the filled baking dish uncovered on the counter for about 20 mins to cool (see Note 2 below), then refrigerate for a few hours until firm. To serve, cut into h’ors d’oeuvre sized pieces.
The coconut milk should rise to the top, leaving a nearly transparent agar layer on the bottom (see Note 2 below). The kyaw kya is firm enough to be served as finger food. (May 2015)
Note 1: According to Juju, 1 Mug = 10 oz, which is the volume of our Johnson & Wales blue coffee mug, leaving a 1/2″ from the top of the mug. (Sept. 2024)
Note 2: We found that this method increases the likelihood that the coconut milk will float to the top, resulting in two distinct layers. (Sept. 2024)
Cooking Adventures 