RMCO food delivery: PJ's Padma's Dapur delivers an addictive, moist coconut candy

PETALING JAYA, Aug 26 — There is something so delightfully retro about coconut candy. It was the rage in the 1970s and 1980s, where it was probably the Basque burnt cheesecake of that era.

Fast forward to the present time and you seem to only find coconut candy during Deepavali celebrations.

Commercially, you can buy them at Indian sweet shops. You really can't miss those unmistakably bright pink squares. It grabs your attention but sadly those versions disappoint as they are often dry and hard.

Through a friend, I discovered Padma's Dapur based in Petaling Jaya, who makes coconut candy by pre-order. Her recipe was passed down from her mother and is said to be about 40 years old.

Essentially the candy is made from a compressed mixture of freshly grated coconut, condensed milk and sugar, which is slowly stirred in a pan until it dries out. 

Since Padma's Dapur is a small batch producer, she only makes the candy for orders when she gets enough to make a tray. A tray yields 13 containers, where each container contains 200 grams of candy pieces cut into squares for RM15.

The original colour for the coconut is a bright pink hue. Following requests from customers, there is also an option to select a light green or a yellow colour for your coconut candy. In addition, there is an unusual Milo version — a request from a customer — available for RM18 for 200 grams.

The candy is packed in boxes that are labelled with the date they were prepared.

This coconut candy ticked all the right boxes. Bright pink colour. Moist. Distinct coconut flavour. All checked. What I loved about it was the sweetness was just right for me. Even though it's candy, I still find the commercial ones overbearingly sweet.

Each bite of it was delicious. You get the fresh coconut taste that melts in the mouth to an addictive sweetness. Take a sip of hot tea to clear the palate and you will reach for another square.

In a way, I was glad I only bought two boxes as I would have happily eaten the whole tray. So dangerous!

Padma's Dapur, Section 5, Petaling Jaya. You can WhatsApp Padma at 016-2023164 to place your pre-order. Delivery can be arranged by a third party where charges are borne by the buyer. If you live out of state, the candy can also be couriered to you. Facebook: Padmas-Dapur-114150107042718