Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่): The Queen of Thai Summer Treat

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Many cultures offer tantalizing flavorful dishes as a refreshing respite from summer heat, from ice creame to cold noodles to chilled tofu to ice shavings and beyond. In Thailand, with a scorching and humid summer, khao chae (ข้าวแช่) has been a beloved and traditional culinary delight.

Khao chae stands out not only for its cooling effect but also for the meticulous attention to detail in the preparation. Every aspect, from the selection of ingredients to the careful execution, is exquisite. It is no wonder that khao chae has earned its place as a quintessential feature of the Songkran Festival and proudly represents the Royal Thai Cuisine.

What is khao chae?

Khao chae is literally translated to “soaked rice.” “Chae” (แช่) means to soak and “khao” (ข้าว) means rice. This dish can possibly be best summarized as an orchestra of tastes and textures, with the first violinist being steamed rice soaked in water scented by aromatic candle and jasmines. Accompanying is a large ensemble of other instruments which, in this case, comprising three to twelve heavenly delicious side dishes. One variation of Khao Chae, which we will be presenting today, consists of seven side dishes:1) stir-fried sweet preserved radish, or chai po (ไชโป๊), 2) stuffed shallot 3) savory pounded fish meat 4) stuffed bell pepper wrapped in egg nets 5) shrimp past balls 6) shredded pork or beef, and 7) stir-fried sweet yison fish (ปลายี่สน).

Khao Chae

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How to prepare khao chae

Khao chae is one of the most intricate dishes of Thailand. In the past, if you wanted to eat khao chae, you would not be able to eat it on the same day because the preparation was complicated and time-consuming to transform them into a delectable creation.

Rice and flower-scented water

You want to choose a premium variety of rice, but make sure that it is not a freshly harvested batch since it gives a soft and fluffy texture, not suitable for making khao chae. Old rice, however, is hardened through time and the grains better retain their shape after being cooked. Once selected, the rice is then washed seven times, boiled until almost cooked, and then steamed until cooked in flower-scented water. Next, sift the cooked rice with a strainer to get rid of the fluff and keep only the solid part of the grains. Check that the rice is not broken. These steps are done to reduce the starch content of the rice, thus, preventing the scented water from becoming murky. They also help gaurantee that each rice grain will come out tasting light and looking beautiful in the scented water. The final step is to soak and let it rest in flower-scented water, waiting to be served. This scent water is called “nam loy” (น้ำลอย), literally translating to “floating water.” In this case, it is flowers that are floating on the water. To prepare nam loy, first boil water and smoke it with thian op khanom (เทียนอบขนม), Thai aromatic candles used specifically for cooking. Float fresh summer flowers, such as jasmine, ylang-ylang, and rose, and close the lid. Change the flowers and repeat this step 3-4 times to let the fragrance permeate the water. You can use any edible flowers. The key is to make the water smell nice. Be careful not to bruise the petals as this will cause a foul smell.

Nam loy

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Side dishes

Luk kapi or tiny shrimp paste ball (luk = a tiny ball, kapi = shrimp paste) is the star of khao chae and takes hours to prepare. The first step is to stir-fry shallots and spices in oil. When fragrant, add coconut milk, shrimp paste, fish meal, and seasoning, respectively. Stir until reduced and set aside to cool before shaping into small balls, and these are what we call luk kapi. Pat the oil from luk kapi until dry. In another container, mix egg yolk and crispy flour until smooth. Dip luk kapi in the batter and fry until cooked.

Luk kapi

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Stuffed shallot, or hom daeng yat sai (หอมแดงยัดไส้), is a bulb of red shallot with only one clove, scooped out the flesh and stuffed with filling made from fish. We often use snakehead fish. After being dried and then steamed, the fish meat is stir-fried with spices, before stuffed in the hollowed shallot. The last step is to coat the shallot in flour and fry with the skin on.

Hom daeng yat sai

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Stir-fried sweet preserved radish, or chai po phad wan (ไชโป๊ผัดหวาน), is Chinese fermented radish torn into strips and then stir-fried with low heat. Carefully add palm sugar to coat the radish until it has a crunchy and chewy texture and becomes shiny. The important thing is to never let the sugar burn. You can mix in duck eggs as well.

Chai po phad wan

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Stuffed bell pepper, or phrik yuak sod sai (พริกหยวกสอดไส้), is prepared with minced pork, shrimp, coriander roots, garlic, and pepper. Mix these ingredients together and let it rest overnight for a crunchy texture. In the following morning, stuff them in bell peppers and steam them. After that, wrap the stuffed bell peppers in egg nets called rum (หรุ่ม). To make rum, whisk eggs and transfer it into a banana leaf cone, and use it like a pencil to gently draw nets in a pan filled with hot oil. The grid of the egg nets must be evenly spaced and not broken.

Phrik yuak sod sai

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Stir-fried sweet spotted eagle ray , or pla yison phad waan (ปลายี่สนผัดหวาน), is perhaps the most straightforward Khao Chae side dish. Yison is a spotted eagle ray. Firstly, boil a spotted eagle ray, remove the meat and pound it until fine and fluffy. Put the coconut milk in a pan and simmer until the coconut oil breaks up. Add onions and stir until fragrant, and then add the fluffy yison Gradually add sugar and continue to stir-fry until the coconut milk dries up.

Pla yisoon phad waan

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Other variation of khao chae may contain side dishes such as mango salad, sweet pork or beef stir fry, watermelon with dry fish, salted eggs, or pickled garlic stir fried with eggs, among many others.

3. Carved fresh vegetables

The beautifully carved fresh fruit and vegetables in a set of khao chae are called phak naem (ผักแนม), in which “phak” means “vegetables” and “naem” means “complementing”. In addition to their exquisite forms, these vegetables enhance the flavor and neutralize your taste buds. Typical phak naem includes cucumber, galangal, sour mango, scallion and red chili pepper. Cucumbers and mangos are often carved into leaves, galangal and chillis into flowers, and green onions into beautiful rolls. Fruit and vegetable carving is one of the important skills required to prepare the Royal Thai Cuisine, the culinary tradition of Thai royalty. It takes great patience to carve shapes and patterns that complement the qualities of the particular fruit/vegetable and heighten the pleasure of eating.

Phak naem

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Containers for Khao Chae

In the olden days before the technology of refrigeration, people kept khao chae in an earthenware called mo thanon (หม้อทะนน) to keep the rice cool and fresh. In terms of serving containers, there are no specific requirements. You can use bowls that you have at home. You may use a set of bowls made of porcelain, glass, wood, or plastic, with or without lids. In any case, solid bowls are certainly needed to contain the soaked rice. However, for side dishes, which are generally dry stir-fried meat and fish, you may use banana leaves folded into a bowl called krathong (กระทง). If you want to immerse in an ambiance of vintage and elegant Thainess, you may serve khao chae in a set of Bencharong (เบญจรงค์) bowls. It is a porcelain decorated with five primary colors (white, black, green, red and yellow) and delicate Thai motifs.

Bencharong

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How to enjoy Khao Chae

The best way to enjoy it is to firstly have a bite of a side dish. Chew it until the delicious taste comes out, then follow with a spoonful of rice soaked in fragrant nam loy. Generally, the first side dish to eat is luk kapi since it is the star of the menu. For other side dishes, there is no specific order. To neutralize your taste buds when switching among different side dishes, simply eat one of the phak naem, such as mango, galangal, or spring onion. It is a general rule not to mix the side dish in the same bowl of the soaked rice because it will ruin the aroma of nam loy.

History: From a royal delicacy to popular summer treat

Originally, khao chae is a delicacy of the Mon People. The Mon are an ethnic group inhabiting in lower parts of Myanmar and several parts of Thailand. The Mon name for the dish is “poeng dajk” (ပုၚ် ဍာ်) or “poeng sangkran” (ပုၚ် သၚ်ကြာန်). Mon khao chae is a specialty dish that is cooked as offerings to deities, monks, and respected individuals. It is popularly enjoyed every year as part of the traditional New Year celebration of the Thai people as well as various ethnic groups in Southern China, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. These festivals are known by many names, including Songkran (in Thailand and Laos), Choul Chnam Thmey (in Cambodia), and Thingyan (in Myanmar), among others. Songkran is celebrated in April, during the heat of summer in Southeast Asia. As groups of Mon people from lower Myanmar migrate to Thailand over centuries, they setup communities in their new home and brought with them Mon culture, including khao chae. In Myanmar today, there is still a similar dish, also of Mon origin, called Thingyan rice which is eaten during Thingyan.

It is believed that khao chae was popularized in the Thai Royal Court by Chao Chom Manda Sonklin, an ethnic Mon consort of King Rama IV (1804-1868). It is possible that the menu was presented to King Rama IV during summer seasons when the court relocate from the Grand Palace in Bangkok to the Phra Nakhon Khiri Palace in Phetchaburi province. This may explain why khao chae is a popular menu in Phetchaburi nowadays. Chao Chom Manda Sonklin’s khao chae became a favorite of King Rama IV, and later King Rama V (1853–1910) and King Rama VI (1881-1925). It was probably through Chao Chom Manda Sonklin that palace folks learned how to make khao chae. Thai royal cooks later refined the recipe further and added more side dishes.

Thai khao chae was initially considered a luxurious menu that was enjoyed by royals and the nobilities. As royal cooks began passing on recipes to the public, however, khao chae became known and available to the public. Currently, Khao Chae has become a popular menu for the scorching Thai summer, especially during Songkran. The refreshing water cools down the heat, while the soothing fragrance rejuvenates the mind. Today, many venues offer special khao chae menu during the season, with some famous places even taking pre-orders. People add ice to khao chae to help accentuate its cooling effects. Khao chae can also be given as special gifts to friends and loved ones during the season. Some Mon communities in Thailand may also have specialty venues that sell Mon khao chae to visitors.

More than a menu

When examining khao chae and the story behind it, we can see that this dish is more than just a delectable treat. Rather, it is a living piece of history that holds deep values.

Culinary skills

From meticulous cooking to beautiful presentation, khao chae embodies the spirit of culinary refinedness. Khao chae entertains not only the taste buds, but also the eyes, the nose, and the mouth feel. The rice combines three senses: taste, texture, and fragrance. The various dishes offer differing experiences, each complimenting the rice in different ways. The presentation offers stunning visuals through phak naem carvings as well as beautiful containers.

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Thus, preparing khao chae is like to an ultimate test for Thai cooks’ culinary skills. The cooks must have thorough understanding of the ingredients, patience to painstakingly create each component of the dish, and mastery over different senses of the body. They must be able to comprehend the layers of flavors and textures unique to each side dishes. As Thai cuisine values the harmony of tastes, the different side dishes must also ultimately compliment each other rather than each trying to steal the scene. For the rice, they must be able to infuse and preserve soothing aroma in this centerpiece. The texture of the rice must be smooth and light to preserve its cooling properties. For the phak naem, cooks must be skilled in Thai style fruit and vegetable carving, a challenging discipline in its own right. For selecting the containers, cooks understand the forms and appreciate the beauty of Thai handicrafts to be able select the items that best showcases their menu.

Local wisdom on how to adapt to summer

Hospitality, empathy, and openness to other cultures

The origin of khao chae tells a story of openness and harmony. Since ancient times, Thai society has always been welcoming of people from different backgrounds. Mon people, in particular, has a long history of immigrating to Thailand. Mon communities has been thriving alongside Thai communities across the country, adapting to local Thai culture while also maintaining their own beliefs and traditions. The cultural influence goes both ways, as the Thais also welcomed many elements of Mon culture into their own. Khao chae is a shining example of how the interaction between the two communities leads to the creation of something wonderful.

Conclusion

Khao chae is a dish that reflects the meticulousness, sophistication, and creativity of the Thai culinary art. Behind each wonderful element lies the richness of our natural resources, raw materials on the ground and under the water. Moreover, the diversity of the side dishes can metaphorically represent the melting pot status of Thailand and different cultures that are woven into our food. Most importantly, it’s incredibly delicious! If you would like to experience the Thai way of life and how we adapt to seasons, we invite you to try khao chae if you have a chance.

The story of the “khao chae” offers a charming look into Thai culture. This summertime menu is a living piece of history that tells the story of openness and harmony. The taste, texture, sight, and aroma of this dish showcases culinary finesse in a truly awe-inspiring fashion. Local wisdom is also reflected in this dish, helping the people to cool down in the hot environment. Join us in exploring more stories of Thailand and the Thai people, as we take you on a journey to discover Thainess.

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Author: Soonyata Mianlamai and Tayud Mongkolrat

29 March 2024

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