Thai Pancake Dream
You know those foods that are just so ridiculously good, it shatters your very foodie foundations. With one bite, you undoubtedly think that there is something completely wrong with the World, as you cannot believe that every single person is not eating this very same food at this precise moment (or all the time for that matter). So good that it surely is a dream, that this food wholly represents the phrase "too good to be true?"... Do you know the type of food I'm speaking of? Nutella Crêpes fall into this category. Especially ones eaten hot, from a street vendor in Paris take-away style, so it's all folded up and the nutella warms, melts and oozes in every direction, leaving you certain that you're experiencing something decidedly erotic.
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Well, Thai Pancakes are no different. Call them the Nutella Crêpes of the South East. These babies are bubbling, batter, bliss, folded with banana, sweetened condensed milk and sprinkled with sugar. Yep. It's too good to be true, remember?
Oh, and it contains egg. The egg is key. To some it sounds strange but be sure to get the egg. It creates a beautiful textural crunch and provides that delightful eggy flavour that accompanies baked goods. Here's David Thompson's recipe from his amazing cook book, Thai Street Food (link) - so you can make it yourself!
The best Thai Pancakes are at the Sangkhlaburi Street Market. I know, I know, it's a long way to travel, but trust me, it's worth it.
Whenever Ben or I would head into town from Baan Dada, we'd make a beeline for this stand - hoping, praying that they were there, flipping and folding pancakes. Sometimes they weren't. And on those times that I was forced to go back to the home pancakeless, a little part of me died inside. This is possibly a bit dramatic, but definitely a bit true.
They're really just so good - like a dream...a sweet, soft, crispy dream.
Oh, and they cost 15 Baht, which is like 50cents. I know.
Now tell me that's not too good to be true...