Thai desserts often use rice and coconut, with flavors like pandan and jasmine. Many have Portuguese origins and include sweet soups, cakes, and fried doughs. They can be very sweet and include savory elements like onions and pork.
Most Thai meals end with fresh fruit, but sometimes it can contain sweet desserts. Also eaten as a snack between meals, Thai desserts rely heavily on rice and coconut and often include pandan or jasmine as flavoring agents. Many have their origins in Portuguese food, such as dense cakes and egg yolk dishes. Desserts in Thailand are usually very sweet, but can also include savory elements unusual in Western cuisine.
Thai desserts can only consist of fresh fruit, either plain or cut into decorative shapes. Some fruit desserts come with other elements, such as mango and sticky rice, often used as Thai sticky rice in Western restaurants. More complex desserts take a few basic forms, such as sweet soups, creams or jellies, cakes, and deep-fried doughs. Candy Egg Yolk Threads are an iconic Thai dessert made for special occasions.
Most Thai desserts include a base of black or white rice, which can be used whole or in the form of noodles, balls or pancakes. Coconut appears as shredded coconut meat or coconut milk and serves as the base for most dessert soups and many puddings. Popular dessert flavors include panda leaf, or vine, and floral extracts such as rosewater and jasmine. Bananas, jackfruit and mangoes, as well as melons and squash also appear in many dishes. Thai desserts also use green bean noodles, sweet black or red beans, and sesame seeds.
Portuguese influence in the 16th century changed traditional Thai desserts. Prior to this period, Thai foods rarely included wheat flour, egg yolks, or refined sugar, now common in many recipes. Some Thai desserts are versions of Portuguese ones, with thickened coconut milk substituted for cow’s milk, and flavors adjusted to Thai preferences. Egg tarts, egg yolk threads, and coconut palm cakes all belong to this Portuguese-influenced food group. When milk appears, it is usually evaporated or condensed. Western-style sweet versions of bread are sometimes used for sandwiches and toast.
Thai food tends to include very strong flavors and desserts are no exception. Most sweet foods are very sweet and contrast with the spicy flavors of the main meal. They can be consumed with tea, alcohol or coffee. Thai desserts often feature savory ingredients not common in European or North American desserts, such as fresh or fried onions, sweet corn, and pork tenderloin. Some desserts also include shrimp or fish in dried, minced or paste forms.
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