It is hard to find ‘Khanom Thian Salad Nga’, a local dessert that is about to disappear. There are no more than 4 vendors left in Trang Province who make it because the method is complicated and time-consuming. On days when it is open for business, it sells out within 2-3 hours.
Sesame Salad Khanom Thian is a local dessert that has been passed down from grandmother to grandchild. There are no more than 3-4 vendors left in Trang Province. Because the method of making Sesame Salad Khanom Thian is complicated, it takes more than 6 hours to stir the dough and make the filling. Therefore, the younger generation is not very interested in selling this dessert. Except for the “Green Pumpkin Group” in Thap Thiang Subdistrict, Mueang Trang District, which is a group of health-conscious people who have come together to preserve the making of this ancient Thai dessert for their children and grandchildren to know about and eat as medicine.
As for the professional vendor, Ms. Panni or Auntie Nueng, aged 46, has inherite
d the making of khanom thian salad sesame from her grandmother’s generation. She uses glutinous rice flour mixed with coconut milk and mung bean flour for about 2 and a half hours until the dough is sticky and chewy before letting it cool. Then she starts making the filling by frying coconut meat, palm sugar or coconut sugar in a pan until dry, which takes another 3 hours before she starts molding the dough and wrapping it with coconut filling to make it into round balls. She puts it on a tray and sprinkles it with white sesame seeds. They sell it for 3.50 baht per ball or 30 baht for a pack of 8 balls.
Sesame Salad Khanom Thian has a sweet taste and a fragrant aroma of white sesame, coconut sugar or palm sugar. It can be eaten by people of all ages. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease can also eat it because it is not too sweet, clean, safe, and healthy. Currently, it is a dessert that is very difficult to find. In Trang Province, there are no more than 4 vendors because the ingred
ients must be prepared every day. Therefore, ‘Pa Nueng’ accepts more event work or booths than she can sell it herself. She teaches how to make Sesame Salad Khanom Thian to those who are interested, so that they can continue the traditional Thai dessert profession or accept it to organize various parties. If you are interested, you can call ‘Pa Nueng’ at 094-6665936.
There is also ‘Khanom Kho’ made from sticky rice flour, molded into balls, wrapped in small squares of sugar, boiled in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes. When the flour is cooked, mix it with grated coconut. It tastes sweet, creamy, fragrant, and delicious. It emphasizes health. It sells for 20-30 baht per basket.
Source: Thai News Agency