PHETCHABURI Food-Lovers Haven

Most accounts of Phetchaburi, or Mueang Phet, include some mention of the vast number of sugar palms, or ton taan, which dot the scenic rural landscape. This abundance of sugar palms sealed the reputation of Phetchaburi as a province that will be forever associated with sweetness. The culinary forte of Phetchaburi cooks, which sets them apart from their counterparts in other Thai provinces, is the preparation of sweets and desserts.

	Images © Tourism Authority of Thailand

The sweets made in Phetchaburi are some of the most famous in all of Thailand.

	The Golden Three – thong yip, thong yawt and foy thong Images © Tourism Authority of Thailand These ‘golden sweets’ of Portuguese origin date back to the Ayutthaya period — the golden age of Thai civilization. Thong yip, thong yawt and foy thong are treasured for their golden appearance. All are made by beating yolks from duck eggs until thick and then cooking them in boiling syrup. The fine strands of foy thong are made by dribbling the egg yolk into the hot syrup. Nothing goes to waste. The egg whites are made into khanom maw kaeng by mixing the egg white with coconut cream and sugar. The mixture is spooned into small square trays and roasted or grilled.
	Image © TAT Khanom taan Khanom taan is made from the fully ripe fruit of the sugar palm. These are kneaded in water to release the yellow pulp, which is then filtered out. The liquid is mixed with starch and sugar, and allowed to ferment overnight, then poured into cups and steamed.
	Image © TAT Khanom nam dawk mai Khanom nam dawk mai is made by mixing flour batter with a floral scent extracted from a blossom called dawk nom maew (rauwenhoffia siamensis). The mixture is then poured into small cups and steamed. This sweet has become a rarity.
	Image © TAT Tako Tako consists of pandanus-flavoured gel topped with coconut cream that has been mixed with flour. The traditional version is sold in small, dainty banana-leaf cups. Squeeze the cup gently to dispense the delicious contents, a mouthful at a time.
	Khanom khai hoang De-husked mung beans are boiled. Once cooked, sugar, garlic and ground pepper is added to the mung bean to make a filling. This mixture is wrapped in dough to make round packets that are then deep-fried. When they have cooled, they are rolled in sugar. Historically khanom khai hoang was a slightly different type of sweet with a filling covered with large tapioca pearls that were coloured yellow and steamed rather than fried. Unfortunately they don’t make them this way anymore. Originally named khanom khai hia, an unfortunate name with a less than complimentary meaning in the Thai language, the dessert eventually acquired its new-found name.
	Khanom khai maeng da This is another local sweet made only by the fishing communities of Phetchaburi. Coconut is shredded by hand and fried with coconut sugar until the mixture becomes thick and sticky. Horseshoe crab eggs are then added and the mixture is stirred over the fire until it turns dark brown and solidifies. After it cools, it forms bite-sized pieces. The flavour combines the nutty taste of coconut with sweetness and the aroma of the horseshoe crabs eggs.
	Image © TAT Kalamae Kalamae is a mixture of coconut cream and sugar that is slowly cooked for hours until it turns from a liquid into a sticky, toffee-like sweet.
	Image © TAT Khao nio daeng Khao nio daeng is made in a similar way as kalamae, except that sticky rice is added to the caramelised mixture when the cooking process is almost complete.
	Khao mao khua Grains of raw, immature rice are peeled, dried and pan-toasted. They are then fried with sugar, salt, dried shrimp and peanuts. This sweet was popular with children half a century ago.
	Image © TAT Khao kriab paak maw A thin sheet of steamed batter is wrapped around a filling, which consists of coarsely chopped peanuts fried with sugar and salt. The dainty dumpling-like appetizer is then placed on a banana leaf cut into a circular shape, and served.
	Image © TAT Khanom tom daeng and khanom tom khao The coconut filling for both reddish-brown khanom tom daeng and white khanom tom khao coconut-coated glutinous rice balls is made by pan-frying shredded coconut with palm sugar. The filling is then spooned on to circular-shaped sticky rice flour dough, rolled into round balls and then steamed. Once cooked, the sticky rice balls are rolled in shredded coconut, and then sprinkled with salt. This is the white version. The red version is made by soaking the sticky rice flour dough in palm sugar syrup, with the shredded coconut mixed in. The cooked palm sugar gives the dough its reddish-brown colour.
	Image © TAT Khao tom mat sai kluay Plain glutinous rice (sticky rice) is steamed until it is almost cooked. Coconut milk and sugar is then stirred into the pot. When the cooked sticky rice has cooled slightly, it is spooned onto a banana leaf. An almost-ripe kluay nam wa banana is placed on top of the sticky rice and rolled so the banana is completely covered with sticky rice. The banana leaf is then wrapped tightly around the khao tom mat ‘parcel’ and steamed.

These sweets are often prepared as traditional Buddhist merit-making offerings for religious ceremonies performed in rural villages throughout Thailand. However, these are not the only occasions when these desserts are enjoyed. Although most are becoming increasingly difficult to find in Bangkok, the few that are popular with urban Thais can still be bought from vendors, as well as specialty stores and supermarkets to be enjoyed as a snack.

The above selection is merely the tip of the iceberg. Even so, a good number of these traditional Thai sweets will not find their way to Bangkok. Those who truly love the very best in Thai cuisine will make a pilgrimage to a special place that offers a truly impressive variety of Phetchaburi sweets of the finest quality, but which remains a well-kept secret, known only to locals and sweet vendors in particular. It is the centuries-old Talat Mueang Phet, a traditional dessert market right in the heart of the old quarter of Petchaburi town.

Talat Mueang Phet Traditional Dessert Market
Located in a district near the provincial centre of Amphoe Muang Phetchaburi, opening hours begin in the wee hours of the morning at 3.00 am — perhaps far too early for the average visitor. However, this market of sweet-makers principally caters to vendors who sell their wares in districts and villages far and wide. The fact that such a highly specialized traditional market exists at all is simply fascinating. The market closes at 9.00 am. sharp. Culinary enthusiasts will be sweetly rewarded by this wonderful sweet market.

Directions to the Petchaburi Dessert Market
Start out from 18 Metres Road, right in the heart of the provincial centre, Amphoe Muang Phetchaburi. A branch off this road with no name crosses the Phetchaburi River and then continues on to Wat Mahathat. Look for the Bangkok Bank branch. This street market is situated right behind the bank. Once you are on this street, Wat Mahathat is straight in front. The market is in a small soi, approximately a hundred metres long. The soi is on the left just before you reach the bridge that crosses the Phetchaburi River.

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Article Source: http://www.tatnews.org/