Aristocratic and Royal Thai Cuisines Archives

The Elegance of Khanohm Khaang Khaao (ขนมค้างคาว)

If palaces represent grandeur and wealth within a society, and poems often focus on emotional experience or the beauty of language, then the significance of a dumpling may be inferred by its structured elegance and minimalism – each fold and pleat a deliberate act, and each filling a curated experience constructing comfort in its most elemental form. Khanom khaang khaao (ขนมค้างคาว) is a traditional Siamese fried, triangular-shaped dumpling with obvious Chinese origins. Its earliest recorded recipe can be traced back to Jao Khraawk Thaawng Yuu (เจ้าครอกทองอยู่), a distinguished aristocrat from the royal court of Ayutthaya. Historical records indicate that, from the early days of the Rattanakosin era, her recipe was a favored snack within the Siamese royal court. These dumplings are shaped like triangles and, according to some, resemble bats: For this reason, they are called khanom khaang khaao (ขนมค้างคาว) – ‘the bat’s treat’. The dumpling’s dough is made from rice and mung bean flours; its filling is prepared by combining grated coconut and shrimp meat, which are cooked together into a dense, flavorful mixture that brings out the nutty-sweet taste of the grated coconut and the savory-sweet flavors of the shrimp. Kaffir lime leaves, sliced into hair-thin juliennes, add a hint of citrus.

Roasted Fish Pae Sa (แป๊ะซะปลาเผา; bpae sa bplaa phao)

Bpae sa bplaa phao: clay-roasted snakehead fish with chili jam and tamarind dressing, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 palace-style manuscript.

Three-Style Pork (สุกรสามวรรณ; soo gaawn saam wan)

Soo gaawn saam wan: fatty pork reduced three ways—fish sauce with palm sugar, garcinia leaf juice, and fermented bean curd. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Cancer Crab Egg Noodles (บะหมี่กรกฎ; ba mee gaaw ra goht)

Ba mee gaaw ra goht, puffed deep-fried egg noodles topped with crab, shrimp, and salted duck egg yolk balls. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Gaaeng Raawn (แกงร้อน)

Gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) is a colloquial Thai term that refers to ‘hot curry’. Today, gaaeng raawn is used to denote soups or curries served with steamed rice. While the precise origin of the term is unclear, gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) was deployed in the 1800s for a specific dish – a Siamese soup featuring glass noodles, cooked as either a coconut or a water-based soup with an assortment of dry ingredients revered in Chinese cuisine. The soup’s potential health benefits, combined with its ease of preparation and subtle yet profound flavor, made it a popular choice for entertaining large groups of people, of all ages and backgrounds. The soup is often augmented with fresh proteins: in its more luxurious versions, multiple proteins may be added, including a combination of chicken, pork, shrimp, squid, and crab meat. Thus, over the years, gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) was established as a staple source of comfort and warmth for people of all walks of life in Siamese society.

Crab and Spring Onion Coconut-Based Curry (แกงคั่วปูกับต้นหอม; Gaaeng Khuaa Bpuu Gap Dtohn Haawm)

Preparing a crab curry is an exercise in culinary diplomacy, wherein the challenge lies in negotiating the distinct flavors of land and sea into a cohesive understanding and capturing the perfect balance. This golden gastronomic horizon is where the delicate whispers of the ocean meet earth’s bold declarations – and at its core is a straightforward question: How do we craft a curry that testifies, via crab, to the ocean’s bounty, yet remains grounded in the earth’s aromatic flora, with roots like galangal and turmeric? In addition, it is challenging to create a curry that is luxuriously creamy, yet light and not too greasy; where the crab’s delicate natural sweetness surfaces as a pleasant sea breeze, levitating above the pitfalls of being too fishy or overly sweetened. Another hurdle is achieving the precise color – produced by red chilies, golden turmeric and peppercorns – that reflects the culinary traditions of southern seashore fishing communities. I like mine set to about a 70:30 ratio of yellow to red and, if using black peppercorns, with a deep brown undertone.

c1936 Arabian noodles – Princess Maao Thongthaem’s Siamese-Orientalist fermented rice noodles light meal (ขนมจีนอาหรับ อย่าง เม้า ทองแถม; khanohm jeen aarap)

Delicious Rice Noodle Rolls (ฑำแรยำซ แป้งหลอดอร่อย; tham raae yam sa bpaaeng laawt a raawy)

Delicious Rice Noodle Rolls (แป้งหลอดอร่อย; tham raae yam sa bpaaeng laawt a raawy)

Delicious Rice Noodle Rolls, a Thai appetizer of rice sheets wrapped around seafood-pork filling and tied with spring onion. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

Mild Soup of Barramundi and Lily Bulbs (แกงจืดปลากะพงแป๊ะฮะ; gaaeng jeuut bplaa ga phohng bpae ha)

Gaaeng jeuut with barramundi and lily bulbs soaked until petals open. Thai-Chinese clear soup from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 cookbook.

Completed Nam Phrik - Fermented Shrimp Paste Relish Parcels with Coconut Cream (น้ำพริกผักต้มสำเร็จ; naam phrik phak dtohm sam ret)

Naam phrik phak dtohm sam ret: grilled fermented shrimp paste (kapi) relish with blanched vegetables, wrapped in cabbage parcels with coconut cream and salted duck egg yolks. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

The Golden Trails of Curry Powder - เรื่องราวของผงกะหรี่

History's first-ever recorded recipe for jungle curry by Lady Plean Passakornrawong, circa 1908 (ปลาดุกแกงป่า อย่าง ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์ ตำราแม่ครัวหัวป่าก์; bplaa duuk gaaeng bpaa)

This is a coconut-based jungle curry of catfish featuring fresh green chilies, sand ginger and an upcountry herbal charm.

c1933 An Auspicious fish ball curry with two basils (แกงเผ็ดปลาเล็กปลาน้อย; gaaeng phet bplaa lek bplaa naawy)

Typically, in Central-style curries, different types of basil are not used together. In higher cuisine, it is an unstated – but understood – practice to avoid blending the definitive scents of various basils. A curry’s final herbal identity is intended to remain definitively with its basil: the citrus notes of holy basil; the spicy-woody and pungent flavor of tree basil; the tart fragrance of lemon basil; or the cooling anise sensation of Thai basil.

Sand Noodles (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวทราย; guay dtiaao saai)

Sand Noodles (guay dtiaao saai), featuring rice noodles cut fine as sand with aromatic coconut chili relish. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

Chak sohm sour curry (gaaeng chak sohm ; แกงชักส้มปลาช่อน)

Crispy Rice - Khaao Graawp (ข้าวกรอบ อย่างหม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์)

Suan Sunandha Palace was the permanent residence of Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (HRH Princess Saisawali Phirom, พระวิมาดาเธอ หม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์), the Royal Consort to Rama V. In the kitchen of Suan Sunandha Palace, the Princess presided over a peak era of culinary innovation until her passing on June 24, 1929. Reflecting her practicality, the Princess’ recipes frequently incorporated the era’s common pantry ingredients in new and surprising combinations. For example, in her boat-embarking chili relish (น้ำพริกลงเรือ; naam phrik lohng reuua), a relish still enjoyed today, the Princess pairs fermented shrimp paste chili relish with sweet pork, crispy fried fish, salted duck eggs and hairy-fruited eggplant (maeuk) (มะอึก). Another example is her gaaeng ran juaan (แกงรัญจวน) – the Princess prepares a vibrant spicy and sour soup, fragrant with the aroma of Thai basil, from the leftovers of a stir-fried beef dish and fermented shrimp paste chili relish, which she cooked together with lemongrass, shallots and garlic. Mom Chao Sai Ladawan’s recipes, many already recreated here at Thaifoodmaster, were recorded by Princess Sadap Ladawan (เจ้าจอมหม่อมราชวงศ์สดับลดาวัลย์), a key figure in the Palace’s culinary affairs, and subsequently compiled and published by Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in a volume dedicated to seasoned rice dishes and chili relishes. In this dish called khaao graawp (ข้าวกรอบ), or “crispy rice” the Princess seasons cooked jasmine rice with chili jam, and adds four fried components, each highlighting a different element of the crispiness indicated by the dish’s name.

Sour Curry of Climbing Perch with Snap Beans (แกงส้มปลาหมอกับถั่วแขก; gaaeng sohm bplaa maaw gap thuaa khaaek)

Gaaeng sohm bplaa maaw — tamarind-broth sour curry with poached climbing perch, fish flesh pounded into the paste. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

c1889 Garee Curry with Shrimp and Cucumber (แกงกะหรี่กุ้งกับแตงกวา; gaaeng garee goong gap dtaaeng gwaa)

In this old-fashioned coconut-based curry, orangey shrimp and bright green cucumber shine in a golden haze of curry powder, caressed by the light breeze of Indian flare. Cucumbers are used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a coolant, to offset internal heat and to resolve fevers. Thus, like a refreshing oasis in the middle of a shimmering desert, the cucumber counterbalances the chili’s internal heat energy and mellows the fragrant, earthy undertones of the spice blend in the dish.

Trinarong salad with ruby pomegranate seeds, translucent pomelo segments, and golden fried shallots glistening with lime dressing on a white plate

c1935 Trinarong Salad - Thai Three-Fruit Yam from Pathum Thani (ยำตรีณรงค์; yam dtreen rohng)

Central-style Thai salad combining pomelo, rose apple, and pomegranate with shrimp, chicken, and pork. From Ms. Booree Thohnsak's 1935 Pathum Thani memorial cookbook.

The complete story of turtle curries in Siamese cuisine (เจาะลึกประวัติศาสตร์เรื่องแกงตะพาบน้ำ)

Khanohm faawy or Khanohm handtraa A Forgotten Thai Dessert and Snack ขนมฝอย หรือ ขนมหันตรา

Known as Khanohm faawy (ขนมฝอย) or Khanohm handtraa, this sweet or savory packet can be a dessert or a snack. The dessert has a sweet filling of silky mung beans and a coconut marzipan-like paste, while the snack’s savory filling consists of shrimp and pork minced and seasoned with garlic, coriander root and white peppercorns. Each is theatrically wrapped in a striking nest of skillfully crafted duck’s egg thread.

Have a look at some of our favorite courses.

Aromatic Primer for Thai Cuisine - Part 1

Patterns – Decoding the Complexity of Siamese Curry Paste: A Multidimensional Exploration

Get Access – Join Thaifoodmaster Today

Practical and kitchen-tested recipes with a mix of theory, history, psychology, and Siamese culture tidbits.

Get access to everything right away. Unlock more than 50 Masterclasses, over 700 recipes and Articles
Access to Thaifoodmaster’s constantly growing library of prime professional classes, articles, recipes and videos on Siamese culinary topics, available nowhere else in English.
GET EXTRA - New Masterclasses and Daily Recipes
Gain access to NEW masterclasses as they become available. Access DAILY translations of heritage-recipes.
1-1 support from Hanuman
1-1 support from Hanuman to help you achieve your professional Thai culinary goals
Live Q&A Sessions
The opportunity to join a monthly live two-hour videoconference where I can answer your questions.
Great Value!
one year access for the price of 3 days in-person training.

You will get everything you need to:

To Get inspired
When you design or build a new menu for an event or restaurant or even prepare for dinner with friends.
To Satisfy your curiosity.
Finally !
To Master Your Craft
Master your Thai cooking skills and expand your repertoire.

It is truly brilliant with a revolutionary approach introducing aspects and concepts never broached by cookbooks.

Ian Westcott

Sourcing Wines for Discerning Private Clients