Thai Dessert History

Thai desserts are well known for their taste sensations which are as impressive as their appearance. Their appealing looks reflect the nature of the Thais who are neat and meticulous. Desserts have been among the favourites of the Thais for hundreds of years. Several kinds of them were mentioned in valuable works of Thai literature.

If you have ever visited Thailand, you may have had a chance to see some Thai desserts or khanom that are displayed for sale at many places, each kind with an attractive shape and bright colors. They are enticing, aren't they? The fact is that Thai desserts offer taste sensations as impressive as their appearances. Their appealing looks reflect the nature of the Thais who are meticulous. The Thais also relate khanom to many aspects of their lives.

Thai desserts are mostly made of coconut flesh, coconut cream and rice flour. Since most areas of the country have been used for farming purposes, natural ingredients for producing the desserts are plentiful and easily obtainable. That's the reason why a wide variety of sweets has been created. Khanom have been the favourites of the Thais for hundreds of years. Some types of Thai desserts were mentioned in Traiphum Phraruang, a literary work of the Sukhothai period (1238-1350). The popularity of eating khanom became widespread in the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767). Some historical records referred to talat khanom or dessert markets while some mentioned Ban Mo or pottery villages where earthen pots, pans, stoves and other equipment for making khanom were made.

The most important person in the history of Thai desserts was Marie Guimar, a foreign lady who introduced several exotic desserts to Siam. The lady was born of a Portuguese father and a Japanese mother in Siam in the reign of King Narai (1656-1688). Marie was given the Siamese title and name of Thao Thong Kipma. Her husband was Constantine Phaulkon, a Greek sailor who rose to the highest non-hereditary rank of Chao Phraya Wichayen. Marie's husband gained special favour and trust from King Narai, causing envy and concern among the native courtiers. Unfortunately, after the king fell seriously ill, Phaulkon was arrested and put to death while Marie herself was sent to jail. Marie's life remained miserable until the reign of King Thaisa (1709-1733), who recognized the worth and abilities of the lady and put her in charge of the royal household with as many as 2,000 women working under her. This provided her with an opportunity to teach women in the palace the art of cooking, especially several desserts from Portugal with yolk and sugar as main ingredients, such as thong yip, thong yot, foi thong, sankhaya and mo kaeng. All of these have remained favourite sweets among the Thais up to the presents.

In the old days, though khanom was considered just an addition to a meal that was not essential, its appearance on a dining table suggested the completeness and importance of the meal. In the reign of King Rama I (1782-1809), Prince Narinthonthewi, a brother of the King, wrote in his Memoirs about the celebration for the establishment of the Emerald Buddha Temple.

According to him, Buddhist monks numbering 2,000 were presented with several kinds of desserts like khao niao kaeo, i.e. sticky rice cooked in coconut cream and sugar, kluai chap, i.e. dried banana slices coated with sugar, and sangkhaya, i.e. egg custard. The taste sensations of khanom also impressed King Rama II (1809-1824) so much that he wrote a poem admiring the tantalising Thai foods and desserts of several sorts. The first Siamese cookery book was published in the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910). Part of the book gave the instructions for preparing desserts for offering to the Buddhist monks.

Thai desserts have played an important role on auspicious occasions and ceremonies. In the past, some types of khanom were prepared only once in a year on a special occasion. For example, khaoniao daeng and kalamae, both made of glutinous rice, coconut cream and sugar, were produced on the occasion of Songkran, the traditional Thai NewYear Festival falling on April 13. As it takes a lot of time and labour to make these desserts, especially in the kalamae-making process of stirring flour with other ingredients to a thick consistency, people living in the same village or district would come to help each other in preparing the desserts in a large amount. This was a good chance for them to develop their friendly relationship and strengthen unity among them. The desserts of unity then were taken by them to offer to the Buddhist monks at a temple.

However, this tradition has ceased to exist today. Clockwise from bottom left:Kraya sat, Khaoniao Kaeo,Khaoniao Daeng and Kalamae

The Thai Autumn Festival, falling on the last day of the 10th Thai lunar month, roughly corresponding to late September, is a tradition of the Indian culture brought to Siam by Indian priests and has survived to this day, even though the Thais do not have the autumn season. The heart of this custom is that the people make merit by taking the usual food, a small species of banana called kluai khai (egg bananas) and a special kind of sweetmeat called kraya sat to a nearby temple to be offered to the Buddhist monks.

Kraya sat is a mixture of shredded rice grains, popped rice, beans, sesame and coconut meat, ground into meal and boiled with sugar until it is very thick and forms into a sticky cake, then cut into portions. Thewo Alms Offering, an old tradition taking place on Ok Phansa Day. i.e. the first day after the end of Buddhist Lent (falling on the fullmoon day of the 11th lunar month), is held to celebrate the Lord Buddha's descent from heaven after having preached to his own mother there. In the early morning, hundreds of monks, lining up in files in the temple yard, receive milled rice, dried food and sweets from the attending people. The special food for this occasion is khao tom luk yon which is made of glutinous rice, coconut cream and sugar, and wrapped up in a palm leaf. The reason for making the dessert in this form is to facilitate the monks in carrying the sweetmeats with them when traveling to many regions in order to propagate the Buddhist doctrines.

On other propitious occasions on which the monks are invited to give prayers for blessing, the host usually entertains the monks and guests to a lunch. To complete the meal, some sweetmeats are served. The reason for the addition of the desserts derives from the Thai inherited belief the khanom is a special dish for meritorious people. Moreover, khanom is a sign of friendship and love.

The sorts of sweetmeat that are popularly prepared for the propitious occasions include those with the names of lucky meanings. For instance, the desserts have the names beginning with the world "thong" or gold, like thong yip, thong yot and thong ek. The Thais believe that gold will bring good luck to them. It symbolizes fame and wealth. Maphrao kaeo (glass) made of dried candied shredded coconut flesh has the meaning of the magic glass ball. Khanom tan (tan means sugar palm) which is made of the flesh and sugar from the palm, signifies a sweet and smooth life.

The desserts also make their appearance in a wedding banquet. In addition, in the past the Thais made a special kind of dessert called sam (three) kloe (friends), made of flour, mold in three small balls attached with each other and then fried in oil. It was a Thai belief that the shapes of sam kloe when heated could foretell the future marriage life of the newly weds. If the three balls still attached to each other, it signaled a happy marriage life. If one ball came apart while the other two still joined togerther, it meant that the couple would have no children. If all the three ball were separated from each other, this would be a bad sign for the bride and groom, indicating an unsuccessful marriage. In addition, if the sweetmeat did not expand when heated, it also suggested the same negative meaning.

In the old days, a Thai presented khanom to another as a token of gratitude or an expression of gladness for that person's success. The one who was promoted to a high rank would receive the gift of ja (chief) mongkut (crown), a kind of crown-like yellow sweetmeat mainly made of yolk and sugar. Because of the auspicious meaning of each word constituting its name, only very good or special persons deserved this kind of khanom.

There was a kind of sweetmeat that a senior often gave to a person of lower rank. It was luk chup, a sweetmeat in the shape of a model fruit made of pounded soya beans mixed with coconut flesh and sugar and coated with natural colors. The lovely shapes of this khanom suggested the tender care that the giver had for the receiver.As time passed, though some of these traditions and beliefs have been forgotten in Thai society, most kinds of desserts still exist. Their tantalising tastes always leave a lingering impression on the tongue of its taster. This is the significant reason why Thai desserts never die.There are arrays of Thai sweetmeats for sale at many places ranging from sidewalk stalls, markets and small shops to top department stores.

  

Sugar and Thai Dessert

Sugar, this sweet is preserve for food:…….if mentioning about dessert whether Thai dessert or other nations, the first taste people in general thinks is about sweet taste. Especially Thai dessert having the slogan that it is sweet. Because of tasting about sweet taste in that Thai dessert ever since. If not to think to mention about the sweet, mostly or everybody think for the first time of course……everybody think "sugar."

All houses should of course have sugar, so far called as the basic ingredients for making raw food and sweet since the ancient times. Before Thai people have no granulated sugar just like these days, was use sugar from slice sweet from falling palm. This palm sugar is in various shape the name is derived from the container use such as if it is in the can it is called sugar in can, if it is in pot it is called sugar in pot, if only the top is in bulk something like elevated earth but biggest it is called ton sugar.

Later when sugar is in shape of scabs so far called as granulated sugar, then granulated sugar has been use as the major sugar at every houses. Granulated sugar is in two kinds, first one is red granulated sugar, because it is something like red, since it is not under the process of whitely purify. Most important it still have vitamin and mineral. For granulated sugar is already undergoes with purify so no vitamin and mineral left anymore, only pure carbohydrates. We called it white sugar. This granulated sugar is mostly use in preserving food. The process of food preservation using sugar, Thai people had widely used since then. The ancient ways of using is syrup and churn, the food to make, as syrup and churn that mostly like are varieties of fruits. The aim is to preserve the fruits not to be rotten to be eaten in the family or giving to relatives and neighbours to deliciously eaten. It should be considered that although at that time they did not learn the theory or technique in preserving food just like scientific way and modern technology. But the ancient people can preserve the food by easy method to keep the food stay longer.

Candied Sugar: 

Using sugar to preserve the food at present still widely applied. Especially for fruits and agricultural products to produce Thai dessert, sweet taste, and crispy and starchy. Using candied sugar or enamel use to preserve food to make the food stay longer and keep in long method is just to boiled the sugar to stick together then put the food to be preserve, with this method to have the candied food or good tasty food longer. The dessert undergoes with preservation in this of method are candied banana, candied cassava, candied taro, krongkring (small sweetmeat made of pellets flour boiled in coco milk and shaped like cockle shells), khai hia (sweetmeat), bird nest etc.

Churn:

Is the other method that makes the dessert tasty until forget about the valid date of the food. Churn is to reduce the volume of water in the food is the best method. The food use to churn mostly are ripe fruits remains from eating fresh such as mango, banana, star gooseberry etc. all are agriculture products like, potato, peanut, taro, sticky rice etc. The method is not difficult just to spend time a little bit. Firstly the fruits of agriculture product need to churn, need to scramble to make the fruits depart each other. Then put on the golden pot put the fire lightly, use paddle to churn or continuously stir, to make the water saturated outside and to avoid the food stick on the pot. Then add sugar at that time, if the churn food needed to have a good taste. It depend to the grinded coconut or coconut milk, add small amount of salt. Stir until it become sticky then gradually pull down, leave it to cool, then put on the container with seal, the food under the churn process of another one is to churn the flower and coconut blend together with sugar (for best result use sugar in can) it will have a sweet taste you cannot deny, of course you ever eat with many people this sweet is called caramel.

Preserve in Sugar:

Is another way of food preservation in good taste and strange feeling. Preserve in sugar is to put the food on sugar. It will help the sugar out from the food and makes the microbe that makes the food rotten will not grow. At the same time sugar will absorb into the texture of the food. It add more sweet, the food preserve in sugar most people likes to eat especially for girls, no one can deny is fruits with sweet and sour such as mango, bale fruit, star gooseberry, tamarind etc. Preservation in sugar that makes the taste in sweet and sour because sweet will mix with the smell and sour, that sometimes you can forget sour taste. The fruit undergoes with preservation under this process apart it will have a delicious taste it also have a high price. To understand that preserve in sugar makes the food have high price is not a mistake. Because when it is fresh fruit the price is kilogram is just a few baht. But when it comes to preserve the price is merely high, just wait for a time and the fruit will have a sweet taste then sell to have a double price.

Pickled/or preserve in salt:

Is the same method like preserve in sugar. It only differs because it needs only a little sugar but mostly it added a lot of salt. So far it is called salt is the main ingredient secondly is sugar. Food preservation in other way, which is not using the sour fruits, should add the microbe essence. But for sour fruits like mango, star gooseberry, bale fruit etc. it is not necessary because it is salty and sour existed on behalf of fruit preserve in salt such as pickled star gooseberry, pickled mango, pickled guava, jujube, olive, tamarind etc.

Apart from the above mentioned process of preservation. Sugar can do many things especially eaten with dessert made in syrup and coconut cream added with ice. Mostly when it is eaten during hot season it makes us comfortable you cannot deny. Sugar use for syrup is the former granulated sugar. Boiled water with granulated sugar in appropriate ratio. If boiling to have a sweet taste like syrup something like clear to be eaten with sweet or fruits in sweet preserve made of sour fruit steeped in syrup and little salt (loi kaew) such as kraton (fruit tree) palm loi kaew, bale fruit jelly, jelly, sweetmeat made of edible bird nest, balsam apple in syrup, mango in syrup etc. or to be eaten with herbal drinks for health such as bai buabok (creeping herb) juice, bale fruit juice, baitoey (woody plant) juice, lemon grass etc.

But if to stir the sugar until it merely concentrated is to use ripe Thai dessert such as for at least make it as Foi thong (sweetmeat made of egg yolk). Syrup enough to boiled sweetmeat is merely boiled syrup until it will have big bubbles on the center. When putting the paddle it will merely sticky. If the syrup has more bubbles and more concentrated it is good for Thong Yip and if the syrup is more concentrated when it is boiling the pot has full of bubbles good for thong yod (sweetmeat made of eggyolk and sugar). Apart from this, syrup is also good for fruits and other agricultural products such as potato, taro, nut grass, banana (some kinds), squash etc. The dessert boils with syrup to preserve for eaten several days. Therefore cooking Thai dessert using syrup is another way of food preservation.

For coconut cream mostly use is sugar in can because it is aromatic smells and sweet like Thai style. It is referred that sugar in can is go together with coconut cream well. It is more suited when it is mix with scented candle; the taste is very delicious and sweet. Coconut cream is eaten with boiled taro, muskmelon, lod chong (sweetmeat made of noodles and coconut cream), black sticky rice, sweet basil seed etc.

Source:  Thaiconfection