March 25: Snacks in Thailand

"Khanom" is the Thai word for a huge assortment of snacks and desserts that are like nothing we have in the West. Sometimes, they come wrapped like little presents in banana leaves, like this one. A little package of happiness. The banana leaf: Nature's Ziplock. This is my very favorite treat. I call these "slugcakes" because they are so wiggly. I have finally learned that this is made mostly from coconut milk, and the green color comes from pandan. Chips are usually Tauru's territory, but I am always intrigued by all the different flavors that Lays has which you don't see in the States. For example, Sweet Basil. Another kind of "khanom," this one is also amazing. It's a small pumpkin filled with a sweet egg and coconut milk custard. A lot of Asian desserts play on the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables, and they use ingredients that the average American wouldn't consider dessert-appropriate, but it totally works. This one is kind of like a tropical Thanksgiving.