Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Thai sweets similar to the European concept of pastries are called
kà·nŏm
. Probably
the most popular type of
kà·nŏm
in Thailand are the bite-sized items wrapped in banana
leaves, especially
kôw đôm gà·tí
and
kôw đôm mát
. Both consist of sticky rice grains
steamed with
gà·tí
(coconut milk) inside a banana-leaf wrapper to form a solid, almost
taffylike, mass.
Although foreigners don't seem to immediately take to most Thai sweets, two dishes
few visitors have trouble with are
rođee,
the backpacker staple 'banana pancakes'
slathered with sugar and condensed milk, and
ai·đim gà·tí,
Thai-style coconut ice cream.
At more traditional shops, the ice cream is garnished with toppings such as kidney beans
or sticky rice, and is a brilliant snack on a sweltering Thai afternoon.
The authors of Eating Thai Food (
www.eatingthaifood.com
) have put together an 88-page illustrated
PDF guide to identifying and ordering Thai dishes for foreign visitors.
