Desserts in Thailand
Porridge, sometimes buttermilk with barley, sometimes (burnt) oatmeal porridge, sometimes semolina porridge, sprinkled with sugar, that was my dessert in my younger years.
Later that changed to custard, vanilla or chocolate and sometimes a combination (custard lip). When I first came to Germany, a tray of pastries appeared on the table after the meal or an ice cream was served.
People used to eat something sweet after a hot meal, just because it was supposed to be that way. In general, people had no answer to the question: why? Now we know that a sweet dessert stimulates digestion and dispels any drowsiness after eating.
Also in Thailand a sweet dessert is a normal phenomenon and in most supermarkets the colorful and (sickly) sweet “khanoms” are for sale. Thai desserts have a long history, which - in literature - goes back to the Sukhothai period in the 14th century and perhaps became even more popular in the Ayutthaya period until the 18th century. The story goes that a foreign lady introduced several exotic desserts to Thailand.
Marie Guimar had a Portuguese father and a Japanese mother and under King Thaisa (1709 – 1733) she became head of the royal household, in which more than 2000 women were employed. Marie taught the women the art of cooking, but also especially the making of desserts, which she knew from Portugal. These desserts are usually made from the pulp and juice of the coconut, rice flour with egg yolk and sugar as main ingredients, such as "thong yip", "thong yot", "foi thong", "sankhaya" and "mo kaeng" are still popular today. the Thai's favorite sweet snacks.
Thai desserts have always played an important role in special occasions and ceremonies. In the past, some varieties of Khanom were made only once a year, such as "khao niao daeng" and "calamae", both made of glutinous rice, coconut, cream and sugar on the occasion of Songkran, the Thai New Year. Making these desserts took quite some time and usually it was done by a group of women in the village or neighbourhood. The desserts were then offered to the Buddhist monks at a temple. Unfortunately, this tradition has been lost.
A tradition, which is still honored during the annual Thai Autumn Festival, is the offering of "kluai khai" (egg with banana) and "kraya sat", a mixture of ground rice grains, beans, sesame, and the pulp of the coconut, which is boiled with sugar and thickened into a cake.
Also on other special occasions, a number of “khanoms” are served to complete a meal. In Buddhism, offering “khanoms” is seen as a sign of friendship and love. The desserts on offer therefore have all the beautiful names that express happiness. Many dessert names begin with “thong” (gold), such as “thong yip,” “thong yot,” and “tong ek.” Gold brings good luck and symbolizes fame and wealth.
Special desserts are also presented during a wedding. From the past, "sam kloe" (three friends) is something traditional in a marriage. They are flour balls that are slightly stuck together and fried in oil. The result when heated predicts the future of the couple. If the three balls stick together, a long and prosperous marriage awaits. If one ball comes loose, it means that there will be no children and if all three balls come loose, it is a bad omen for the bride and groom, because the marriage will fail.
So most of the traditions regarding Thai desserts have disappeared, but the desserts still exist. Sweet and often with beautiful colors, they are for sale everywhere in street stalls, shops and large supermarkets.
It's all way too sweet for me, I stick to some Thai fruit or fruit yogurt after a meal.
– Reposted message –
Annette, I recently made steamed banana muffins. Very tasty (sweet) and little work.
I am a hobby chef myself and I think it is a shame that, taking into account the wide range of tropical fruit, there is little creativity available to make beautiful dessert creations with it.
Just take mango, coconut, passion fruit and pineapple with which you can make a wide variety of desserts ranging from the simple fruit salad to mousses, flans, bavarois, creams, sorbets and other compositions.
Hi Robert, I am looking for (hobby) chefs. Not ever from The Hague. If you don't live too far from The Hague, I'd love to get in touch with you. Greeting,
Frank Vermolen. [email protected]
Marie Guimar was the wife of the Greek adventurer Phaulkon, who even became prime minister. But he was murdered when his power became too great and he was suspected of making Catholicism the state religion of Ayudhaya. His wife was sentenced to slavery. Eventually she managed the royal kitchen, introducing numerous Portuguese dishes, which can still be found in Thai cuisine today under their corrupted Portuguese name. By the way, the word khnom pang (pastry) is of Portuguese origin and not French as is believed. Farang is also of Portuguese origin. In short, more than 90% of all traditional Thai pastries and sweets are of Portuguese origin.
The range of Thai desserts and desserts is enormous, but you will mainly find them in the Central Plains and in the capital in the better restaurants.
I myself love tiramisu. My (Thai) wife searched the internet how to make it.
She makes it excellent. My kids (7 and 5) and my wife love it.
Of course I also think it's delicious. A new dessert imported to Thailand ??
Regards dontejo
In the large hotels where there is a buffet, they have many Thai desserts that are also sweet. I think it is very colorful.
I don't know what it's called but they also make a kind of cookie with something tasty in it, you can also find this with the desserts and of course sticky rice and mango jummy. Mae Ping in Chiang Mai and Montien hotel in Bangkok and Pattaya have Thai desserts. Delicious.
In Dutch? Then you can also make it yourself or look it up in Dutch, but I don't think you'll come across the recipe that quickly in Thai (perhaps on some exotic cooking sites for Thais?), but it is a nice idea to bring European delicacy recipes to the Thai translation so that Thai in Thailand or the Netherlands can make it themselves.
For Thais in Thailand it would be useful where you can find the ingredients if there is not a large Makro or other store chain with European ingredients. Or a good alternative to ingredients that can be found at virtually every large supermarket in the country. Replacing finger biscuits is still possible, Mascarpone is becoming more difficult and you can find that if you go outside the major tourist/immigrant/pensionado areas.
Or do you mean a Dutch manual where you can go with your shopping list in Thailand?
I do not understand that it can be said that there are no or few Thai sweet desserts. At our market in Nong Hoi, between Hua Hin and Pranburi, I (my girlfriend) regularly buy a dessert made from sweet coconut milk and jelly. There are desserts made from corn or other grains, you can buy baked banana and you can buy sweet crepes in the food court of Tesco Pranburi. In the food court of Market Village in Hua Hin you can also get delicious crushed ice with sweet jellies and or fruits. In 7/11 there are many desserts, which cost around 15 baht.
Recently I was at a house blessing, where delicious colorful desserts were available. You can also buy many sweet varieties at the market in Pranburi.
The only “Western” dessert that I sometimes miss, but now make myself, is rice pudding. It is easy to make yourself: I buy milk with a flavor (chocolate or coffee), bring it to the boil and throw in half a cup of rice (glutinous rice or also Japanese rice - larger grain) and after about 30-40 minutes do you have a nice rice pudding. Of course you can vary.. there are tasty recipes on the internet.
Here's the recipe for tiramisu, as my wife makes it.
Ingredients:
250 g of mascarpone
100 ml cream
2 eggs
40 g sugar
lady fingers
250 ml espresso (we use regular filter coffee)
cocoa powder (Van Houten)
1 small glass of Amaretto (or other coffee liqueur or nothing)
All the ingredients you need can be purchased at “Tops”.
Except having mascarpone and ladyfingers (Lady Fingers in Thailand).
we can also find everything at "Big C" Instead of the mascarpone sale
you have the Philadelphia cream cheese. For amaretto you can use any coffee liqueur
use or leave it alcohol-free. (originally there was no alcohol in it)
Only for the long fingers you have to look for an alternative at "Big C"
The cookies should absorb coffee, a kind of bisquit (not salty cookies).
Whip cream with 1 tbsp sugar in a bowl until stiff.
Separate the eggs and mix the yolks (don't use the egg whites) in another bowl
Beat rest of sugar until creamy.
Mix mascarpone (or Philadelphia) in parts with the yolk mixture.
Lightly fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. In shallow, elongated
Mix a bowl of liqueur with espresso (filter coffee). Half of long
Dip fingers one by one in coffee and place coffee side up in bowl.
Spread half of the mascarpone (Philadelphia) mixture on top. Again such
make low. Let the tiramisu set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Remove the tiramisu from the fridge shortly before serving and sprinkle generously on top
with cocoa powder. (Van Houten, a bit of Dutch as well)
We hope it works, tasty,
dontejo.
Hi,
my Thai wife is a hobby cook, specialized in Thai desserts.
Many Thai people know where to find her address in Almere.
A few years ago she gave a demonstration at a party.
The embassy had specially flown mangoes from Thailand.
Greetings from Josh
Nice article