Khanom thuai facts for kids
 |
|
| Type | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Thailand |
| Main ingredients | Rice flour, coconut milk, sugar |
Khanom thuai, also known as Khanom thuai talai, is a yummy traditional Thai dessert. It's special because it mixes sweet and salty flavors! You'll often find it served in cute, small ceramic bowls with a tiny wooden spoon. It's a popular treat all over Thailand.
Contents
What is Khanom Thuai?
This dessert gets its name "Khanom thuai" because "thuai" means "bowl" in Thai. So, it's like "dessert in a small bowl"! The main ingredients are rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar. Sometimes, people also add jasmine-infused water or tapioca flour for extra flavor and texture.
Khanom thuai has two parts: the "body" at the bottom and the "face" on top. The body used to be light brown from coconut sugar. But today, people use different ingredients to change how it looks and tastes. For example, adding pandan leaf can make the body white. If you use butterfly pea flower, the body turns a pretty light blue!
You can find Khanom thuai all over Thailand. It's often eaten with Boat noodles, which is another famous Thai dish. You can easily buy this sweet treat from street vendors in many cities.
A Look at Khanom Thuai Through Time
In the past, Khanom thuai was usually made for special events. These included important cultural dates and festivals. Think of big celebrations like weddings or the Songkran festival. Making this dessert used to take a lot of effort and ingredients.
The recipe for Khanom thuai has changed a lot over time. Sometimes, the recipe was even adjusted for different purposes. For example, the Khanom thuai given as an offering to monks had a special recipe. This made sure it wouldn't get too soft or sticky easily.
Modern Khanom Thuai
Today, there are many fun variations of Khanom thuai. People love to add different colors and flavors. You might find versions with pandan leaf or even young coconut. These new twists are very popular in stores, especially in places like Bangkok.
The price of Khanom thuai can change depending on where you buy it. It might cost around 2 to 5 Thai baht for one piece. Some places might sell it for up to 10 baht.
How to Make Khanom Thuai
Making Khanom thuai at home can be a fun activity! Here's a simple way to do it:
Sweet Bottom Layer
First, you'll make the sweet part of the dessert.
- Get some palm sugar and dissolve it.
- Mix the dissolved sugar with 300ml of coconut milk.
- Add 2 ½ tablespoons of rice flour.
- Put in ¼ teaspoon of pandan essence for a nice flavor.
- Stir everything in a bowl until it's smooth.
- Pour this mixture through a sieve into another bowl. This makes sure it's super smooth.
Salty Top Layer
Next, you'll prepare the salty part that goes on top.
- Mix another 300ml of coconut milk with 2 ½ tablespoons of rice flour.
- Add a pinch of salt. You can add more salt if you like, but ¼ teaspoon is usually enough.
- Stir this mixture until it's smooth.
- Sieve this mixture into a separate bowl.
Steaming Your Dessert
Now it's time to cook your Khanom thuai!
- Heat up small cups in a steamer for a few minutes.
- Carefully pour the sweet mixture into each cup. Fill them about three-quarters full.
- Steam this sweet coconut mixture for about 15 minutes. This helps it set.
- Then, gently pour the salty coconut milk mixture on top. Fill the remaining quarter of each cup.
- Cover the steamer and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Once they are done, take the Khanom thuai out. Let them cool down completely before you eat them. They taste best at room temperature!
