''Thong ek'' (, ), also known as "wheat flour dumplings with egg yolks", is one of the
nine auspicious traditional Thai desserts. It is a golden sweet carved as various types of flowers decorated with a piece of gold leaf on top, popularly served in very significant occasions such as career advancement ceremonies.
Etymology
In Thai, the word ''thong'' means 'gold,' and the word ''ek'' means 'prime.' It is believed that when ''thong ek'' is used in auspicious rituals or given as a gift to seniors, it will bring wealth and superiority in work, helping the recipients to become number one in their field.
History
''Thong ek'' is in the same category as other egg-based sweets (i.e. ''
thong yip
''Thong yip'' (, ) or pinched gold egg yolks is one of the nine auspicious traditional Thai desserts. It is usually made for important occasions and ceremonies such as weddings, ordinations, and housewarmings.
''Thong yip'' was brought to Ayutt ...
'', ''
thong yot
''Thong yot'' (, ), also known as "gold egg-yolks drops", is a Thai dessert and one of the nine auspicious traditional Thai desserts. ''Thong yot'' originated in Aveiro District
Aveiro District (, ) is located in the central coastal region o ...
'', ''
foi thong'',
''sangkhaya'' and
''mo kaeng''). It was introduced by Japanese-Portuguese chef
Maria Guyomar de Pinha
Maria Guyomar de Pina (; 1664 – 1728) (also known as ''Maria Guiomar de Pina'', ''Dona Maria del Pifia'' or as ''Marie Guimar'' and ''Madame Constance'' in French), Thao Thong Kip Ma (), was a Siamese woman from Ayutthaya. She was of mixed Jap ...
in the reign of
Narai
King Narai the Great (, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Prasat Thong dynasty. He was the king of Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1656 to 1688 and arguably the most famous king of the ...
during the
Ayutthaya Kingdom
The Ayutthaya Kingdom or the Empire of Ayutthaya was a Thai people, Thai kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city), Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. Europe ...
. Its origin is a Portuguese sweet which has yolk and sugar as main ingredients. Maria Guyomar de Pinha had combined the
Portuguese and Thai methods of preparing sweets, demonstrating the delicate process of cooking, starting from raw materials to the meticulous taste, color, smell, appearance and beautiful decoration, which varies according to the dessert itself.
Ingredients
The dessert is made from the mixture of sugar, coconut milk and egg yolk which is pressed into wooden molds. The cooking process will not be finished until a little gold foil is decorated on the top of the sweet.
See also
*
List of Thai desserts
This is a list of Thai khanom, comprising snack
A snack is a small portion of Human food, food generally Eating, eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including Food packaging, packaged snack foods and other processed foods, ...
References
{{Thai cuisine
Thai desserts and snacks
Thai egg dishes