Food is a central component to our travels and on your Thailand tour, you will be tasting your way through delectable offerings like khao yam, massaman curry, som tam, pad thai and sup nor mai, to name just a few iconic dishes. After eating all that it’s time for dessert and in this regard the Thai people blend sweet, salty and spicy flavours for an unforgettable taste. With ingredients like coconut milk, sticky rice, mango, jackfruit and banana, the country’s dessert landscape is tightly bound with the climate and cultural preferences of its people.
Here are some unmissable desserts you need to eat while you're there.
The Thai mango sticky rice is possibly the best dessert in the land. It consists of sticky rice which is steam-cooked and then dipped in sweet coconut milk. The rice is served with slices of fresh mango and topped off with a sprinkle of fried mung beans. This dessert is especially common in summer when it’s mango season and is eaten cold. It’s the perfect accompaniment to finishing up a traditional Thai meal.
Ice cream is one of those universal desserts which appeals to everyone. Thailand has made coconut ice cream their own by doing away with dairy. Served in a cone, cup or even the shell of a coconut, itim kati comes in a variety of flavours and toppings such as durian, jackfruit, taro root, peanuts, sweet corn and syrup, to name a few. The texture is not as creamy as milk-based ice cream and not as icy as sorbet but a delicious blend of both.
Popular in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos too, sticky rice in bamboo is made by inserting sweet sticky rice, white or red, in bamboo tubes for roasting. Coconut milk is added on top of the rice after which the stick is sealed and placed over charcoal. This slow-cooking process transforms the rice into a sweet and rich creation, similar to custard or rice pudding. The original version featured rice mixed with water and salt but nowadays grated coconut, sugar, coconut milk and red beans can be added to the concoction.
Khao lam is regarded as a filling treat and is usually sold by street vendors at food fairs, temples and markets. The easiest way to eat it is to crack the bamboo open from the top and pull down its strips. Grab a piece of sticky rice and eat it with your hands.
Known as crispy pancakes in English, khanom buang is everywhere in Thailand. Resembling Mexican tacos, the base of the crêpe is made of rice and mung bean flour. Coconut cream is spread on top after which customers can choose between sweet or salty toppings such as shredded coconut, foi thong (egg yolk strips) or chopped scallions. Other toppings such as dried shrimps or raisins are also very popular with local residents.
Originating from Ayutthaya province, this dessert is made of colourful pan-fried pancakes flavoured with pandan, strawberry or banana. Each roti or crêpe is stuffed with Thai-style candy floss and served warm. The dessert melts in your mouth and the chewy texture of the roti and the fluffy sweetness of sai mai go well together.
Deep-fried bananas are a sweet dessert which is prepared by peeling and slicing local bananas known as kluay nam wa and dipping them in a batter mix of rice flour, all-purpose flour, sesame seeds, baking powder or slaked lime, salt, pieces of walnut, coconut, and water. The batter is then fried in hot oil until a crispy crust forms. Although fried bananas are eaten without any toppings you can find them served alongside ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce or honey. They are sweet and crunchy to taste and can be served as a snack or appetiser too.
Also spelt as look choop, these sweets are shaped similarly to fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, bananas, mangoes, oranges and chili but in miniature form. This dessert is particularly time-consuming to make and requires mung beans, coconut milk, sugar, jelly powder, water and food colouring. The beans, coconut milk and sugar are mixed into a paste which is then moulded into the desired shape. Food colouring is added and it is sometimes dipped in agar or gelatine to give it a shiny appearance.
Luk chup not only looks good but is delicious and not sickeningly sweet. It is sold in supermarkets across Thailand.
