Kanom Krok: This shall be the ruin of me

These innocent looking little bits. They shall be the ruin of me. What are they? They are called Kanom Krok. They are the most delicious little morsels, made of coconut milk, sugar, and just a little salt. As simple as that, and as delicious as anything. Evil. You see. It's pure evil. I have been eating them by the box full, every time I made it anywhere within the one mile radius of where they're sold. And that's a lot, you see, because these things are sold at the Emporium food hall, on Sukhumvit road. My parents's house is also on Sukhumvit, you see, and every time I go anywhere I would have to pass it front of it. I've had four boxes, so far, in two days. At this rate, with all the coconut milk and the sugar, I'd probably double my weight in not too many days.

Kanom Krok is a ubiquitous street food in Thailand. They are made in a cast iron or terra cotta pan with dimples. The mixture of coconut milk, sugar, and salt is poured into each dimple, and the finished Kanom Krok scooped out with a spoon. Kanom Krok is crispy on the outside and oozing soft in the middle. Just delicious. How many times have I said delicious? Oh dear. I. Need. Help.

Comments

[jack]

I'll remember Kanom Krok next time I go to the Emporium. I love that food hall on the top floor. The sweetest pomelos I've tasted in my whole life and it's free!
Thanks for posting this.

[Bea at La Tartine Gourmande]

Hi Pim,
My little gourmand hubbie loves coconut milk, even more than me if that is possible. Sooooo, in view of this lovely evil treat, where is the recipe???? ;-)

[Kalyn]

Ahhh. I saw those pans in Asia and wondered what they were used for. Don't you think that everything with coconut milks just tastes amazing?

[matana]

Just a picture of kanom krok pan in case your readers are interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matana/86719252/in/set-72057594048507471/

[Cyndi]

I asked DH (who was stationed in Thailand 3 different times) if he'd had kanom krok, and he said he thought he had. They look simple to make--I wonder if the recipe's available anywhere? Great blog. I came here via kalyn's kitchen.

[Barbara Fisher]

Oh, those do look like wicked wee morsels.

Now that I know what they taste like, I will have to try and make them....

[Adam]

Your parents live on Sukhumvit and your last name is Techamuanvivit? Is that really a coincidence?!?

[Becca]

I am already addicted to macaroons ... this just takes away the unnecessary ingredients in macaroons and leaves the purely heavenly ones ... are you going to tell us how to make them?

[chaddq]

I had a roommate who craved taco yaki, a japanese dish made in the same kind of pan. Batter and octopus, deep-fried to a crisp. Delicious. I have no Kanom Krok experience, but I can only imagine - mmm!

[Richard Lee]

There is something similar here in Malaysia too, and I am sure you can get it in Thailand. It's fried tapioca balls.

These sweet tasting fellas are mixed with a little sugar and deep fried to a deliciously looking balls.

Extremely delicious, extremely sinful. Once you get started with them, you totally become enslaved by these carbo-fat little morsels.

Asian fried food, they will kill us all. :D

[Pim]

Hmm, I've never tried to make Kanom Krok. The key to its deliciousness is the freshness of coconut milk. The coconut milk would have to be impeccably fresh or it would be pointless to make it. That's why I've never tried it. I use canned coconut milk to make curries when I'm in the US.

I guess I could give it a try. I'll do a post about it soon.

cheers,
Pim

[David]

Making Kanom Krok sounds like a plan for when you come back to Paris!

I'll start cracking the coconuts...

[Jasper]

Oohh that looks nice. In Holland we use similar pans to make \\\\\\\"poffertjes\\\\\\\", small fluffy pancakes wich are good with butter and powdered sugar: http://www.hollandbymail.nl/koninginneshop/item_list/kado/poffertjespan.html

[megnut]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these things! I had some fresh from the griddle at the Aw Kaw Taw market in Bangkok. See photos of their yumminess and one of the man making them from my Flickr set. Oh I want some right now. I think they were my favorite food item in Thailand, and probably of my whole Asia trip.

[rachel]

I get these at the Thai Temple bruch that is every sunday in Berkeley, and I am addicted too, perhaps there should be a support group for the addicted. ( would need a group for stroop waffels as well then ;)

[angbear]

I LOVE Khanom Krok... Luang Ute (my uncle) used to bring me these for breakfast when we visited Bangkok. I remember there was a savory version with green onions that tasted weird to me as a kid; mmmm... I bet I'd love it now!

[Thaigirl]

I come from a poor family in Thailand and let me tell you, Pim is not representing anything about Thailand at all. A snotty immigrant, that's how it happens. Why do you not cook for yourself in Thailand, Pim? Why do you not drive yourself? AAAh, you want to give these people employment, right?
Right.
You and your charities.
I will puke now.

[Pim]

Thaigirl,

I could not help the situation I was born into, anymore than you could yours. I try not to judge people based on whatever situation they found themselves in in life. Perhaps nor should you.

I don't claim to 'represent' Thailand. No, I'm not in a Miss Thailand pageant or anything. This is the blog I have to talk about my life and my experiences, so of course it is centered on my life as I know it. Too bad my life isn't the same as yours. Start your own blog, perhaps, and talk about Thailand as you see her. Do let me know when you do, I would be more than curious to read it.

cheers,
Pim

[Cin]

I think I have seen something similar to Kanom Krok being cooked at a Vietnamese festival but they topped it with shrimp and spring onions and some other savoury bits. I wonder if the base is the same though. The vietnamese one is coconutty and slightly chewy.

[Kirk]

Hi Pim - I recently had the pleasure of having Kanom Krok for the first time, and must agree whole heartedly agree with you! Such a wonderful treat, crusty on the exterior, yet molten and creamy on the interior, and so delici-yoso!!! I've been lurking on your blog for a while, and have always enjoyed your posts.

[Joy]

Oh my gosh, Pim -- those are my favorite!

[AnneCuisine]

Oh! these would be the end of me too! They look fabulous. Can you make them? I love cooking with coconut milk! Well, now you've given me craving... must go hunt through the pantry for something coconutty.

[mlomeister]

Here's a recipe [templeofthai.com/recipes/kanom_krok.php] I followed with much success, using a Danish aebleskiver pan from Amazon.com ($20) [xrl.us/jvcs]. I've noticed that the Thai kanom krok is almost identical in taste to South Indian/Malaysian "appam". (My background is from both regions, so forgive me if I can't tell exactly which one appam comes from.)

[SamanthaF]

Pim,

I've just caught the end of a Thai cooking program and the chef had just finished preparing Sangkaya Fuk-Thong (Steamed Pumpkin Custard). Are you familiar with this dish, and do you have a recipe? (I missed the beginning:-()

Hope you are well!

[Jefferson]

I picked up a tasty order this AM at the corner of Sukhumvit and Soi 57, just one block down from Thonglor. She somehow read my mind and knew I would like the ones with the corn kernels rather than the ones that seemed to have chives on top. Decadent and satisfying, blistering hot on the inside and crispy outside. A good way to end my time in Bangkok.

[carol]

I am in Bangkok right now and as soon as all work is done, I am off to Emporium for these tempting Kanom Krok!

[dinnerware]

Kanom Krok - I have never had these, but they look fabulous.

[Paul Jardine]

Emporium would be the last place I would look to buy these things! Like all Thai food in Thailand, each dish has a thousand variations (or more) and can change almost unrecognisably from one street vendor to another.
One of my favourite 'breakfasts' in BKK is 'Baton goh' & Gaeng Penang. Of course, the Thais don't eat these things together - but they do sometimes have gaeng kiew wan with roti, which is not a million miles away.
Incidentally, I think Thai women are the world's most qualified 'eaters'. Lunchtime is all the time... My wife is Thai, about 46kg and 'grazes' her entire body weight every day, I'm convinced. God knows how she stays so perfectly formed - though my theory is cheese, the lack of!

[Lesley Price]

wow I had these when I was in Thailand but did not realize they were called
Kanom Krok. I was telling my friend about them as she loves coconut but
could never find a recipe. I will add a link to this on my recipe
website if you do not mind.

[Jennifer]

Pim,

I'm visiting Bangkok for the first time and have kept an eye out for these after using your blog as part of my pre-trip food "research". I've eaten two boxes so far today. Both were from a street vendor about halfway down Silom Road. The first was cold, but still delicious. On our way back I saw her making a fresh batch and pounced on it. So very good! I'd have gotten more, but I needed to save room for the Gluay Ping :)

[Mary-Anne]

Just returned from Bangkok yesterday and
am already missing all the amazing foods including these yummy addictive morsels. If you can't find the proper Thai kanom krok pan you can use an ableskiver pan. The terra cotta pans for Haw Mok can also be used, but I prefer making little banana leaf cups or boats for Haw Mok for fragrance and taste.

Mary-Anne
Alamo

[Sirima]

i want to know the receipe for the kanom krok and thai sticky rice. and any other thai food receipe.