Traditional tastes with a trendy twist

WHILE TRADITIONAL Thai desserts remain popular among the elderly and middle-aged, youngsters tend to shy away from banana leaf-wrapped treats and coconut-infused puddings in favour of more Western sweets such as cupcakes with fancy icing. That could be about to change thanks to Thipda Chanthacharoonpong, a private caterer who is aiming to win the kids over by offering them old-fashioned Thai desserts with a truly modern twist.

And so it is that such typical Thai sweets as kanom guay (steamed banana pudding), piak poon bai toey (pandan sweet pudding) and kanom mun thed (steamed sweet potato pudding), all traditionally wrapped in banana leaves and topped with grated coconut, are now skewered like fish balls on sticks or moulded into mini burgers the size of those much-touted maracons.

Thipda’s mee krob (sweet-and-sour crisp fried rice noodles) also comes in bite-size pieces while tago (pudding with coconut cream topping), sago khao pod (sago and corn with coconut milk), as well as woon (jelly with coconut milk) are served in tiny cups.

Sold under the brand name Dessert, her sweets with a twist caused a stir on the social media when she launched her Facebook page six months ago. She still has no physical shop, but so far has attracted more than 5,000 followers. 

“The desserts are presented like finger food that’s easy to eat but doesn’t make your hands messy and sticky. They’re convenient and suit people who’re always on the go. The portion is not too big and we use less sugar to cater to today’s health-conscious customers. You can order a variety of sweets in small portions and with varied tastes,” says Thipda, who has run the firm Dee Catering for a decade.

“However, while the forms have changed, the authenticity of the taste has remained. Our mee krob, for instance, is made to the traditional recipe and we add som saa (bigarade, aka Seville orange), an increasingly rare and expensive citrus fruit, for a piquant bitterness.” 

Dee Catering offers Thai cuisine, the portions and presentations of which are modified according to the theme of each catered event.

“I wanted to have a supply of Thai desserts in the catering line that can be adapted according to the needs of customers. I initially looked for outsourcing suppliers but no one could match my need. I therefore decided to launch my own line, though I quickly learned that Thai sweets have a very short shelf life due to the main ingredients of coconut cream and coconut flesh.”

Thipda signed up for a one-year course in making both savoury and sweet Thai desserts at the Royal Traditional Thai Crafts School for Women. 

She has chosen to ignore such favourites as thong yip (sweet egg yolk cup), thong yot (sweet egg yolk drop) and foi thong (sweet shredded egg yolk) as these are readily available on the market and instead offers a range of delicacies that are all too rare. 

Among them are ma hor (Bt100 a box) – sweet and sticky caramelised minced pork on a slice of fresh pineapple and garnished with a coriander leaf; miang lao (also Bt100 a box) – a tiny ball of minced pork, dried shrimp and ginger wrapped in pickled lettuce for a combination of sour, sweet and salty tastes and served on a rice cracker; and thien salad nga (Bt60 for six pieces) – steamed rice flour dough filled with grated coconut and plum sugar that’s seasoned with sesame and finished with scented wax.

There is no minimum amount but orders must be placed two days in advance. Delivery fees run from Bt100 to Bt200 within Bangkok. 

  

DELICIOUS DESSERTS

Place an order at (089) 773 2359 or visit “BangkokDessert” on Facebook.