Thai Desserts - slice-of-thai.com

slice-of-thai.com → Thai Desserts

On this page you can explore the insanely delicious snacks and desserts available on the street all around Thailand!

There are many websites about Thai desserts, but they generally focus on non-perishable desserts that they can pawn online, or desserts which can be made in a western kitchen. This site is not about sales or recipes—it's about the mouth-watering delicacies that you will find being sold on street carts all around Thailand. Many of these desserts cost only 2 or 3 baht (10 US cents) each!

I have provided the Thai name and pronunciation, along with an English name I made up for reference. If you prefer a different pronunciation guide system, you can set it here. I would appreciate receiving any corrections, or additional contributions of desserts with photos (I will give you credit on the site), at chris@pirazzi.net.

[kà-nǒm-wún-gà-tí, kà-nǒm-wún-gà-tí, khaL-nohmR-woonH-gaL-theeH, kà-nǒm-wóon-gà-tí, khà-nǒm-wún-kà-thí, khà-nǒm-wún-kà-thí, kʰà-nǒm-wún-kà-tʰí, ขะ-หฺนม-วุ้น-กะ-ทิ]
ขนมวุ้นกะทิ
Coconut Milk Over Gelatin Dessert
A simple but delicious dessert with a layer of white coconut milk and flour over a layer of colored gelatin. Typically the color is natural (green coloring comes from the Pandan leaf (ใบเตย, genus pandanus) that also gives the gelatin a pleasant taste).
[kà-nǒm-wún-má-práao, kà-nǒm-wún-má-práao, khaL-nohmR-woonH-maH-phraaoH, kà-nǒm-wóon-má-práo, khà-nǒm-wún-má-phráo, khà-nǒm-wún-má-phráo, kʰà-nǒm-wún-má-pʰráːw, ขะ-หฺนม-วุ้น-มะ-พฺร้าว]
ขนมวุ้นมะพร้าว
Coconut Slices in Gelatin
Slices of fresh coconut suspended inside a dessert of slightly-sweetened, clear gelatin.
[kà-nǒm-chán, kà-nǒm-chán, khaL-nohmR-chanH, kà-nǒm-chán, khà-nǒm-chán, khà-nǒm-chán, kʰà-nǒm-tɕʰán, ขะ-หฺนม-ชั้น]
ขนมชั้น
Layered Gelatin and Coconut Milk Dessert
Available in an endless variety of colors and depths, this is the classic Thai dessert with layers of coconut milk and colored gelatin. Opaque layers are produced with a bit of flower. Green color, and a delicious flavor, comes naturally from the Pandan leaf (ใบเตย), genus pandanus). Blue or purple color comes from the water morning glory flower (ดอกอัญชัน, clitonea ternatea). Other colors may be natural or artificial.
[kà-nǒm-fák-tɔɔng, kà-nǒm-fák-tɔɔng, khaL-nohmR-fakH-thaawngM, kà-nǒm-fák-tawng, khà-nǒm-fák-thawng, khà-nǒm-fák-thong, kʰà-nǒm-fák̚-tʰɔ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-ฟัก-ทอง]
ขนมฟักทอง
Pumpkin Stick
Pumpkin mixed with sugar and flour forms the base of this tasty coconut-sprinkled sweet.
[kà-nǒm-mɔ̂ɔ-gɛɛng, kà-nǒm-mɔ̂ɔ-gɛɛng, khaL-nohmR-maawF-gaaengM, kà-nǒm-mâw-gaeng, khà-nǒm-mâw-kaeng, khà-nǒm-mô-kaeng, kʰà-nǒm-mɔ̂ː-kɛ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-ม่อ-แกง]
ขนมหม้อแกง
Baked Egg-Bean Cake
Popular but exceedingly difficult to describe, you'll just have to taste this baked dessert with a crisp, brown upper shell. Ingredients seem to vary. One internet post describes it as "a Thai sweet made of crushed steamed mung bean, egg, and coconut milk [that] is a specialty of Petchburi Province," while a vendor I asked said it can be made with soybeans or just eggs. No matter what the ingredients, it is somewhat of an acquired taste.
[kà-nǒm-dtôm, kà-nǒm-dtôm, khaL-nohmR-dtohmF, kà-nǒm-dtôm, khà-nǒm-tôm, khà-nǒm-tôm, kʰà-nǒm-tôm, ขะ-หฺนม-ต้ม]
ขนมต้ม
Wacky Balls
Wacky and delicious balls made from a flour-sugar mix, sprinkled generously with coconut shavings, these desserts often have a sweet and crunchy filling which may include nuts.
[sǎa-kuu-sâi-mǔu, sǎa-kuu-sâi-mǔu, saaR-khuuM-saiF-muuR, sǎh-koo-sâi-mǒo, sǎa-khuu-sâi-mǔu, sǎ-khu-sâi-mǔ, sǎː-kʰūː-sâj-mǔː, สา-คู-ไซ่-หฺมู]
สาคูไส้หมู
Pork-Stuffed Tapioca Balls
Odd-looking but delicious, these squishy, translucent white balls are made from an outer casing that starts out life as hard tapioca pellets that are soaked in hot water until they become a workable, opaque paste (although, as you can see, some of the tiny white pellets retain their original shape and give the outer shell texture). The paste is worked into a ball and wrapped around a filling of pre-cooked pork, peanuts, onions, sugar, salt, soy sauce, and other ingredients. The balls are then briefly boiled or steamed so that the paste becomes translucent and the whole dessert becomes soft and delicious. The balls are topped with fried garlic and served with lettuce or other vegetables.
[kà-nǒm-mét-kà-nǔun, kà-nǒm-mÉt-kà-nǔun, khaL-nohmR-metH-khaL-nuunR, kà-nǒm-mét-kà-nǒon, khà-nǒm-mét-khà-nǔun, khà-nǒm-mét-khà-nǔn, kʰà-nǒm-mét̚-kʰà-nǔːn, ขะ-หฺนม-เม็ด-ขะ-หฺนูน]
ขนมเม็ดขนุน
Jackfruit "Seeds"
Named for their resemblance to jackfruit seeds, these tiny desserts are a sugary delight.
[kà-nǒm-fɔ̌ɔi-tɔɔng, kà-nǒm-fɔ̌ɔi-tɔɔng, khaL-nohmR-faawyR-thaawngM, kà-nǒm-fǎwy-tawng, khà-nǒm-fǎwy-thawng, khà-nǒm-fǒi-thong, kʰà-nǒm-fɔ̌ːj-tʰɔ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-ฝอย-ทอง]
ขนมฝอยทอง
Golden Fibers
Quite a sight to behold, this super-bright orange dessert consisting of bunches of thin, beautiful fibers is made from egg yolk and is often only moderately sweet.
[kà-nǒm-tɔɔng-yɔ̀ɔt, kà-nǒm-tɔɔng-yɔ̀ɔt, khaL-nohmR-thaawngM-yaawtL, kà-nǒm-tawng-yàwt, khà-nǒm-thawng-yàwt, khà-nǒm-thong-yòt, kʰà-nǒm-tʰɔ̄ːŋ-jɔ̀ːt̚, ขะ-หฺนม-ทอง-หฺยอด]
ขนมทองหยอด
Golden Drops
Less sweet than the Jackfruit "Seeds" dessert, these drops are made from the same egg yolk mixture as the Golden Fibers (ขนมฝอยทอง, [kà-nǒm-fɔ̌ɔi-tɔɔng, kà-nǒm-fɔ̌ɔi-tɔɔng, khaL-nohmR-faawyR-thaawngM, kà-nǒm-fǎwy-tawng, khà-nǒm-fǎwy-thawng, khà-nǒm-fǒi-thong, kʰà-nǒm-fɔ̌ːj-tʰɔ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-ฝอย-ทอง]).
[kà-nǒm-tɔɔng-yìp, kà-nǒm-tɔɔng-yɪ̀p, khaL-nohmR-thaawngM-yipL, kà-nǒm-tawng-yìp, khà-nǒm-thawng-yìp, khà-nǒm-thong-yìp, kʰà-nǒm-tʰɔ̄ːŋ-jìp̚, ขะ-หฺนม-ทอง-หฺยิบ]
ขนมทองหยิบ
Golden Flowers
The same egg yolk mixture from Golden Fibers (ขนมฝอยทอง, [kà-nǒm-fɔ̌ɔi-tɔɔng, kà-nǒm-fɔ̌ɔi-tɔɔng, khaL-nohmR-faawyR-thaawngM, kà-nǒm-fǎwy-tawng, khà-nǒm-fǎwy-thawng, khà-nǒm-fǒi-thong, kʰà-nǒm-fɔ̌ːj-tʰɔ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-ฝอย-ทอง]), formed into beautiful flowers.
[kà-nǒm-bâa-bìn, kà-nǒm-bâa-bɪ̀n, khaL-nohmR-baaF-binL, kà-nǒm-bâh-bìn, khà-nǒm-bâa-bìn, khà-nǒm-bâ-bìn, kʰà-nǒm-bâː-bìn, ขะ-หฺนม-บ้า-บิ่น]
ขนมบ้าบิ่น
Crazy Cakes
This dessert, which you will sometimes see as rectangular cakes (top) and sometimes see as little grilled cylindrical coins (bottom), is made from a batter of sticky rice flour, sugar, and other ingredients cooked up on a griddle until the top and bottom are a crispy golden brown. Vendors will sometimes mix in corn or green onions for good measure. Highly addictive. Not the same as the (also addictive) bowl-shaped Thai Griddle Cakes (ขนมครก, [kà-nǒm-krók, kà-nǒm-krók, khaL-nohmR-khrohkH, kà-nǒm-krók, khà-nǒm-khrók, khà-nǒm-khrók, kʰà-nǒm-kʰrók̚, ขะ-หฺนม-คฺรก]) below.
[kà-nǒm-krók, kà-nǒm-krók, khaL-nohmR-khrohkH, kà-nǒm-krók, khà-nǒm-khrók, khà-nǒm-khrók, kʰà-nǒm-kʰrók̚, ขะ-หฺนม-คฺรก]
ขนมครก
Thai Griddle Cakes
When you see a street vendor pouring batter into the tell-tale Thai Mortar griddle, you know you are in for a treat. These light, coconut milk- and flour- based griddle cakes should be eaten warm and usually also include green onion or corn.
[kà-nǒm-kâao-nǐao-gà-tí, kà-nǒm-kâao-nǐiao-gà-tí, khaL-nohmR-khaaoF-niaaoR-gaL-theeH, kà-nǒm-kâo-něeo-gà-tí, khà-nǒm-khâo-nǐaw-kà-thí, khà-nǒm-khâo-nǐao-kà-thí, kʰà-nǒm-kʰâːw-nǐaw-kà-tʰí, ขะ-หฺนม-ค่าว-เหฺนียว-กะ-ทิ]
ขนมข้าวเหนียวกะทิ
Sweet Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk
Traditional Thai sweet sticky rice topped with a soft mixture of flour, sugar, and coconut milk.
[kà-nǒm-kâao-nǐao-dɛɛng, kà-nǒm-kâao-nǐiao-dɛɛng, khaL-nohmR-khaaoF-niaaoR-daaengM, kà-nǒm-kâo-něeo-daeng, khà-nǒm-khâo-nǐaw-daeng, khà-nǒm-khâo-nǐao-daeng, kʰà-nǒm-kʰâːw-nǐaw-dɛ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-ค่าว-เหฺนียว-แดง]
ขนมข้าวเหนียวแดง
Brown Sticky Rice
Sweet sticky rice made from brown rice, it is often cooked less than white sticky rice so that it is almost crunchy, and it is often held together with a thick, marmalade-like sweet jelly.
[kà-nǒm-kâao-nǐao-gɛ̂ɛo, kà-nǒm-kâao-nǐiao-gɛ̂ɛo, khaL-nohmR-khaaoF-niaaoR-gaaeoF, kà-nǒm-kâo-něeo-gâeo, khà-nǒm-khâo-nǐaw-kâew, khà-nǒm-khâo-nǐao-kâeo, kʰà-nǒm-kʰâːw-nǐaw-kɛ̂ːw, ขะ-หฺนม-ค่าว-เหฺนียว-แก้ว]
ขนมข้าวเหนียวแก้ว
Jade Sticky Rice
Cameras simply cannot record the astonishing bright-green glow of this sweet sticky rice, naturally colored and flavored with Pandan leaf (ใบเตย, genus pandanus), and topped with white sesame seeds. The Pandan leaves are blended to a paste and their juice is squeezed through cheesecloth to produce the classic Thai ingredient.
[kâao-nǐao-má-mûang, kâao-nǐiao-má-mûuang, khaaoF-niaaoR-maH-muaangF, kâo-něeo-má-môoang, khâo-nǐaw-má-mûang, khâo-nǐao-má-mûang, kʰâːw-nǐaw-má-mûːaŋ, ค่าว-เหฺนียว-มะ-ม่วง]
ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง
Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango
One of the most famous Thai desserts and one of the only ones you are likely to find in Thai restaurants in the West. It consists of traditional steamed Thai sweet sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียวมูน, [kâao-nǐao-muun, kâao-nǐiao-muun, khaaoF-niaaoR-muunM, kâo-něeo-moon, khâo-nǐaw-muun, khâo-nǐao-mun, kʰâːw-nǐaw-mūːn, ค่าว-เหฺนียว-มูน]) topped with slices of fresh mango and sweetened coconut milk. [Image stolen without permission from the wacky and entertaining oishiieats blog, at least until I can get a decent photo].
[kâao-nǐao-dam-sǎng-kà-yǎa, kâao-nǐiao-dam-sǎng-kà-yǎa, khaaoF-niaaoR-damM-sangR-khaL-yaaR, kâo-něeo-dam-sǎng-kà-yǎh, khâo-nǐaw-dam-sǎng-khà-yǎa, khâo-nǐao-dam-sǎng-khà-yǎ, kʰâːw-nǐaw-dām-sǎŋ-kʰà-jǎː, ค่าว-เหฺนียว-ดัม-สัง-ขะ-หฺยา]
ข้าวเหนียวดำสังขยา
Sweet Black Sticky Rice with Thai Custard
Odd-looking but yummy, this is a layer of black sticky rice topped with famous Thai custard. The black sticky rice is mildly sweet with roughly the texture of tapioca pudding.
[kâao-dtôm-mát, kâao-dtôm-mát, khaaoF-dtohmF-matH, kâo-dtôm-mát, khâo-tôm-mát, khâo-tôm-mát, kʰâːw-tôm-mát̚, ค่าว-ต้ม-มัด]
ข้าวต้มมัด
Steamed Sticky Rice Pouches with Filling
Easy to miss in the market, this dessert is sold all bundled up in a steamed (and thus lighter-green) banana leaf which is ingeniously tied with "string" made of shaved bamboo (top picture). Hiding inside (bottom picture) is some delicious Thai sweet sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียวมูน, [kâao-nǐao-muun, kâao-nǐiao-muun, khaaoF-niaaoR-muunM, kâo-něeo-moon, khâo-nǐaw-muun, khâo-nǐao-mun, kʰâːw-nǐaw-mūːn, ค่าว-เหฺนียว-มูน]) with a filling that includes one or more (usually one) of banana, black bean, or tarot.
[kà-nǒm-sǎng-kà-yǎa-fák-tɔɔng, kà-nǒm-sǎng-kà-yǎa-fák-tɔɔng, khaL-nohmR-sangR-khaL-yaaR-fakH-thaawngM, kà-nǒm-sǎng-kà-yǎh-fák-tawng, khà-nǒm-sǎng-khà-yǎa-fák-thawng, khà-nǒm-sǎng-khà-yǎ-fák-thong, kʰà-nǒm-sǎŋ-kʰà-jǎː-fák̚-tʰɔ̄ːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-สัง-ขะ-หฺยา-ฟัก-ทอง]
ขนมสังขยาฟักทอง
Thai Custard with Pumpkin
Classic Thai egg custard topped with pumpkin shavings.
[kà-nǒm-fák-tɔɔng-sǎng-kà-yǎa, kà-nǒm-fák-tɔɔng-sǎng-kà-yǎa, khaL-nohmR-fakH-thaawngM-sangR-khaL-yaaR, kà-nǒm-fák-tawng-sǎng-kà-yǎh, khà-nǒm-fák-thawng-sǎng-khà-yǎa, khà-nǒm-fák-thong-sǎng-khà-yǎ, kʰà-nǒm-fák̚-tʰɔ̄ːŋ-sǎŋ-kʰà-jǎː, ขะ-หฺนม-ฟัก-ทอง-สัง-ขะ-หฺยา]
ขนมฟักทองสังขยา
Pumpkin with Thai Custard
A slice of fresh Pumpkin stuffed with classic Thai egg custard.
[kà-nǒm-glûai, kà-nǒm-glûai, khaL-nohmR-gluayF, kà-nǒm-glôoay, khà-nǒm-klûay, khà-nǒm-klûai, kʰà-nǒm-klûaj, ขะ-หฺนม-กฺล้วย]
ขนมกล้วย
Banana Dessert
A delicious custard-like sweet that is made with bananas and sugar, topped with coconut flakes. This dessert is often sold in tiny, chilled ceramic cups or wrapped in banana leaf.
[kà-nǒm-lûuk-dtaan, kà-nǒm-lûuk-dtaan, khaL-nohmR-luukF-dtaanM, kà-nǒm-lôok-dtahn, khà-nǒm-lûuk-taan, khà-nǒm-lûk-tan, kʰà-nǒm-lûːk̚-tāːn, ขะ-หฺนม-ลูก-ตาน]
ขนมลูกตาล
[kà-nǒm-dtaan, kà-nǒm-dtaan, khaL-nohmR-dtaanM, kà-nǒm-dtahn, khà-nǒm-taan, khà-nǒm-tan, kʰà-nǒm-tāːn, ขะ-หฺนม-ตาน]
ขนมตาล
Palm Heart Puff
It looks, feels, and tastes like a bready Western flour cake, but it's not: it's made from steamed palm hearts (specifically from the Toddy Palm, ต้นตาล, Borassus flabellifer Linn.) that provide the natural color and flavor, with a little coconut sprinkled on top.
[kà-nǒm-dtà-gôo, kà-nǒm-dtà-gôo, khaL-nohmR-dtaL-gohF, kà-nǒm-dtà-gôh, khà-nǒm-tà-kôh, khà-nǒm-tà-kô, kʰà-nǒm-tà-kôː, ขะ-หฺนม-ตะ-โก้]
ขนมตะโก้
Rice Flour Cup
A surprisingly tasty little morsel made from rice flower and sugar, ingeniously and beautifully folded into a square package (the staple being a modern substitute for the more traditional wood splinter or toothpick).
[kà-nǒm-bpìak-bpuun, kà-nǒm-bpìiak-bpuun, khaL-nohmR-bpiiakL-bpuunM, kà-nǒm-pbèeak-pboon, khà-nǒm-pìak-puun, khà-nǒm-pìak-pun, kʰà-nǒm-pìːak̚-pūːn, ขะ-หฺนม-เปียก-ปูน]
ขนมเปียกปูน
Yummy Tar
It may look like tar, or the obelisk from 2001: A Space Odyssey (the Thai translates literally as "Wet Concrete" or "Concrete Paste"), but it's all-natural and surprisingly tasty. The chef starts by burning the outer shell of coconuts, soaking the resulting char in water, and then squeezing it through cheesecloth to produce a natural black coloring and a unique flavoring, which is then combined with sugar and coconut milk to make the dessert.
[kà-nǒm-tùa-dtàt, kà-nǒm-tùua-dtàt, khaL-nohmR-thuaaL-dtatL, kà-nǒm-tòoa-dtàt, khà-nǒm-thùa-tàt, khà-nǒm-thùa-tàt, kʰà-nǒm-tʰùːa-tàt̚, ขะ-หฺนม-ถั่ว-ตัด]
ขนมถั่วตัด
Bean Cake
A very slightly sweet cake made from crushed beans (could be soybeans, mung beans, or other types).
[kà-nǒm-bpeeng-móong, kà-nǒm-bpeeng-móong, khaL-nohmR-bpaehngM-mohngH, kà-nǒm-pbayng-móhng, khà-nǒm-pehng-móhng, khà-nǒm-peng-móng, kʰà-nǒm-pēːŋ-móːŋ, ขะ-หฺนม-เปง-โม้ง]
ขนมเปงโม้ง
Shan Bread Pudding
Perhaps my favorite dessert of them all, this traditional Shan (Thai Yai) dessert can be found in Northern Thailand (for example, in Pai). It has several delicious, egg-based layers with a bread-pudding-like, bubbly texture, topped with a sweet, creamy frosting. Unlike most desserts of its type, it retains just the right level of moistness that you can eat it without a drink, and it is not too sweet either.
[kà-nǒm-à-laa-wàa, kà-nǒm-à-laa-wàa, khaL-nohmR-aL-laaM-waaL, kà-nǒm-à-lah-wàh, khà-nǒm-à-laa-wàa, khà-nǒm-à-la-wà, kʰà-nǒm-ʔà-lāː-wàː, ขะ-หฺนม-อะ-ลา-หฺว่า]
ขนมอะลาหว่า
Shan Custard
Another traditional Shan (Thai Yai) dessert that can be found in Northern Thailand (for example, in Pai). A smooth and delicious custard that is braised on top.
[kâao-bpúk, kâao-bpúk, khaaoF-bpookH, kâo-pbóok, khâo-púk, khâo-púk, kʰâːw-púk̚, ค่าว-ปุ๊ก]
ข้าวปุ๊ก
[kâao-bpùk, kâao-bpùk, khaaoF-bpookL, kâo-pbòok, khâo-pùk, khâo-pùk, kʰâːw-pùk̚, ค่าว-ปุก]
ข้าวปุก
Puffy Rice Patty
A sweet, chewy delight. A thin, round purple patty made from black sticky rice is toasted over an open flame until it puffs up (hence ปุ๊ก, [bpúk, bpúk, bpookH, pbóok, púk, púk, púk̚, ปุ๊ก], which means "plump" or "chubby," which then for no explained reason got corrupted to ปุก, [bpùk, bpùk, bpookL, pbòok, pùk, pùk, pùk̚, ปุก]), topped with black sesame seeds, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk, and then folded and snipped with scissors into bite-sized pieces. You can find this dessert in Northern Thailand (for example, in Pai), where it is traditionally made by the Chinese (actually KMT) immigrants from Yunnan during the cold season. The Lisu hill tribe makes a thicker variety of ข้าวปุ๊ก, [kâao-bpúk, kâao-bpúk, khaaoF-bpookH, kâo-pbóok, khâo-púk, khâo-púk, kʰâːw-púk̚, ค่าว-ปุ๊ก] out of white sticky rice. The Shan (Thai Yai) immigrants make a similar snack out of black sticky rice during the rice harvest season, but they mix in the black sesame seeds before cooking.
[kà-nǒm-jìip, kà-nǒm-jìip, khaL-nohmR-jeepL, kà-nǒm-jèep, khà-nǒm-jìip, khà-nǒm-chìp, kʰà-nǒm-tɕìːp̚, ขะ-หฺนม-จีบ]
ขนมจีบ
Flirt Dumplings
These delicious yellow steamed dumplings (also found in green color) are filled with pork and vegetables and topped with Thai chili peppers, green onions, and crunchy fried garlic. They could equally well qualify as an appetizer or a dessert.
[gǔai-dtǐao-lɔ̀ɔt, gǔai-dtǐiao-lɔ̀ɔt, guayR-dtiaaoR-laawtL, gǒoay-dtěeo-làwt, kǔay-tǐaw-làwt, kǔai-tǐao-lòt, kǔaj-tǐaw-lɔ̀ːt̚, ก๋วย-เตี๋ยว-หฺลอด]
ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหลอด
Noodle Rolls
Similar in shape and appearance to Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, these steamed dumplings are made of sheets of the same dough used to make the wide Thai noodle soup noodles (before the sheets are cut into noodles), and the ingredients are similar to those you might find in a Thai noodle soup: sprouts, herbs, and other vegetables. The rolls are topped with Thai chili peppers, green onions, and crunchy fried garlic. They could equally well qualify as an appetizer or a dessert.
[kà-nǒm-kâao-mâao, kà-nǒm-kâao-mâao, khaL-nohmR-khaaoF-maaoF, kà-nǒm-kâo-mâo, khà-nǒm-khâo-mâo, khà-nǒm-khâo-mâo, kʰà-nǒm-kʰâːw-mâːw, ขะ-หฺนม-ค่าว-ม่าว]
ขนมข้าวเม่า
Unripe Rice Dessert
This dessert is made from a very unusual ingredient, ข้าวเม่า, [kâao-mâao, kâao-mâao, khaaoF-maaoF, kâo-mâo, khâo-mâo, khâo-mâo, kʰâːw-mâːw, ค่าว-ม่าว], which is produced by taking unripe sticky rice seeds, roasting them, and then pounding off the husks. The resulting form of rice can be made into many desserts. The one pictured here is colored green by Pandan leaf (ใบเตย, genus pandanus) with coconut flakes. By itself, the dessert is quite bland, but when you add the provided natural sugar, it is quite tasty.
[kà-nǒm-tûai, kà-nǒm-tûai, khaL-nohmR-thuayF, kà-nǒm-tôoay, khà-nǒm-thûay, khà-nǒm-thûai, kʰà-nǒm-tʰûaj, ขะ-หฺนม-ท่วย]
ขนมถ้วย
Little Cup Dessert
This dessert consists of one or two layers of tasty sweet rice-flour based pudding, poured and set in little spoon-sized bowls. You may still see the bowls on display or just see bowl-shaped desserts like the picture here.
[kà-nǒm-tian, kà-nǒm-tiian, khaL-nohmR-thiianM, kà-nǒm-teean, khà-nǒm-thian, khà-nǒm-thian, kʰà-nǒm-tʰīːan, ขะ-หฺนม-เทียน]
ขนมเทียน
Candle Dessert
When you see the tell-tale, beautiful pyramid packages, you can be fairly certain it's this dessert. Inside the package is a very sticky, blobby outer shell made from sticky rice flour, and inside that is either sweet filling (including coconut, sugar, and sesame seed) or salty filling (including black pepper, peanuts, salt, and other ingredients). The Thais seem to favor the salty filling, which is harder to make.