| A friend of mine told me that my article, " | | | | to know because it yields different result in |
| Mouth-Watering Thai Desserts" on August 9th, | | | | cooking. High protein content means more water |
| 2008, does not have information on flour used in | | | | will be absorbed and there will be a longer mixing |
| Thai desserts. My friend was right - I mentioned | | | | time to achieve optimum consistency. Thus the |
| flour in one of the seven main ingredients but I | | | | desserts/snacks that are chewy or sticky usually |
| did not write anything about flour. Thus, continuing | | | | use the high protein content wheat flour. |
| from the previous article on "Mouth-Watering Thai | | | | Mung Bean Flour (paeng tao khiaw) |
| Desserts" this article will focus on flour used in | | | | Mung bean flour is made from mung beans. It is a |
| Thai desserts. Taken together, these two articles | | | | gluten-free flour. Some brands offer a very fine |
| give a fuller picture of Thai desserts. | | | | texture of flour. If the flour is not finely ground, |
| The following are the common flours used in Thai | | | | one must grind it before use to prevent lumps. |
| desserts: sticky rice flour, rice flour, cassave | | | | Mung bean flour comes in a variety of colors |
| starch, corn starch, wheat flour, arrowroot starch | | | | depending on how much it has been precessed. |
| and mung bean flour. | | | | When cooking mung bean flour (with water on a |
| Sticky Rice Flour (paeng khao niaw) | | | | stove), it turns transparent. One of the most |
| Sticky rice flour is also referred to as "sweet rice | | | | well-known uses for mung bean flour is in so-called |
| powder" or "glutinous rice flour." It is made from | | | | glass/clear noodles, very fine noodles made with a |
| short-grain sticky rice that becomes moist, firm | | | | highly refined form of mung bean flour. When |
| and sticky when cooked. This is due to its | | | | raw, these noodles are almost transparent, and |
| proportionally higher number of waxy starch | | | | they turn completely transparent when cooked. |
| molecules. With its chewy texture, sticky rice | | | | Khanom Salim is a Thai dessert that requires |
| flour is a favorite base for buns and pastries. | | | | mung bean flour and cannot be substituted. |
| Sticky rice flour is often combined with plain rice | | | | Khanom Salim is sweet mung bean threads in |
| flour to create a variety of Thai desserts. | | | | syrup with coconut milk on top. It is served cold |
| In Thailand there are 2 types of sticky rice flour: | | | | with ice. The mung bean thread is colored with |
| wet and dry. Wet sticky rice flour is finely milled | | | | natural colors like Flower of Chitoria Tematea Linn |
| with water, whereas dry sticky rice flour is finely | | | | (Dok Un Chun) yielding a blue or lac (krang) |
| milled without water. When buying sticky rice | | | | yielding a red. |
| flour, choose products that have a white color | | | | Cassave Starch (paeng mun) |
| and no smell or moisture. | | | | Cassave starch is often called tapioca starch |
| Example desserts using sticky rice flour are Paeng | | | | (paeng sa koo). It is a refined white flour which is |
| Jee (grilled coconut cakes), Bua Loy Benjarong | | | | made from cassava root. Cassave starch is very |
| (taro, pumpkin, and mung dal bean balls in coconut | | | | finely textured, and is a common substitute for |
| milk) and Khanom Thua Paep (mung bean stuffing | | | | arrowroot starch and cornstarch. Cassave starch |
| coated with shredded coconut meat). | | | | is gluten-free and easy to digest. It is often added |
| Rice Flour (paeng khao jao) | | | | to gluten-free baking as a thickener. It is broadly |
| Rice flour is used to thicken various dishes and is | | | | used as a thickener for sauces, soups and |
| also an important ingredient in various Thai | | | | desserts in Thailand. In desserts, cassave starch is |
| desserts. Rice flour is a good substitute for wheat | | | | almost always used in blends with other types of |
| flour, in that the latter causes digestive system | | | | flour so that desserts are more soft and sticky |
| irritation in those who are gluten intolerant. | | | | than when using only one type of flour. |
| However, rice flour should not be used or | | | | Corn Starch (paeng khao pod) |
| substituted in some desserts like cakes. This is | | | | Corn starch is made from corn kernels and is |
| because rice flour is not finely milled like cake | | | | finely textured. Corn starch is best dissolved in |
| flour, and would not yield the same quality of | | | | cold water. When cooking corn starch (with water |
| desserts. In Thailand, there are 3 types of rice | | | | on a stove), corn starch tends to form lumps. |
| flour: | | | | Thus, it is important to stir frequently on low |
| - rice flour made from rice older than a year - | | | | heat. It is used as a thickener and used in blends |
| good for absorbing water, | | | | with other types of flour like rice flour. |
| - rice flour made from new rice - does not | | | | Arrowroot Starch (paeng thao yay mom) |
| absorb water as well because of its moisture, and | | | | Arrowroot Starch is made from the root of the |
| - rice flour made from new rice without water - | | | | marantha arundinacea. In Thailand, arrowroot |
| excellent at absorbing water. | | | | starch consists of tiny white balls that must be |
| Beyond the type of flour, there are many grades | | | | ground before using. However, in some brands, |
| for each type. To buy rice flour, choose products | | | | arrowroot starch is a fine powder just like |
| with a white color and absence of an old smell. If | | | | cassave starch. Arrowroot starch is a gluten-free |
| you plan to make a dessert using rice flour, find | | | | flour that has no identifying taste or scent. It is |
| flour that was finely milled so your dessert will | | | | used as a clear thickener with any mixture or in |
| have a smooth texture. | | | | blends with other types of flour. Its thickening |
| Example desserts using rice flour are Khanom | | | | power is about twice that of cassave starch. |
| Chan (nine-layered dessert) and Khanom Thuay | | | | Arrowroot starch is used in many Thai desserts. |
| (coconut cakes). | | | | Thais love desserts and they have been a part of |
| Wheat Flour (paeng sa lee) | | | | our lives for a long time. Thai desserts cannot be |
| Wheat flour is a fine white powder that has high | | | | perfected without attentive use of flour. For |
| gluten content. There are different types of | | | | some desserts, some types of flour can be |
| wheat flour depending on the types | | | | substituted for each other, but in other cases |
| characteristics of wheat used and the milling | | | | substitution is not advisable. Each type of flour has |
| process. The common wheat flours are bread | | | | its own characteristics, which in some cases |
| flour, all purpose flour and cake flour. These 3 | | | | preclude substitution, depending on how they |
| types of wheat flour are different in the | | | | interact with the rest of the dessert. When |
| percentage of protein contained in the flour. Bread | | | | making delicious authentic Thai desserts, it is more |
| flour has the highest percentage of protein, | | | | important to closely follow the recipe than it is for |
| 12%-13%, followed by all purpose flour at | | | | non-dessert kinds of dishes. Enjoy the many |
| 9%-10% and cake four at 6%-9%. | | | | wonderful tastes and textures of Thai desserts! |
| Protein content is an important key for a buyer | | | | |