« Michelin France 2006: 'The Red' is done! | Main | Green packaging, the Thai way »

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Look! Shoop! Look Shoop

Lookshoop

Another snapshot of a Thai dessert from my trip to Bangkok a couple weeks ago. These little colorful bits are called Look Shoop, which is roughly translated as 'dipped balls'. No, I didn't make that up. I swear.

Presumably the name came from the process of making the desssert. The little balls (look in Thai) made of sweetened yellow mung bean paste are formed into miniature fruits, painted bright colors, and then dipped in agar-agar (dipping = shoop in Thai) to make them shiny like in the photo.

Doesn't this remind you of marzipan in the european dessert repertoir? I wouldn't be surprised if this is yet another example of the Portuguese influence in Thai dessert making, which I spoke of before but got the century off by one or two. (Thanks Austin for correcting me.)

Unlike the other desserts I've rhapsodized about earlier, this Look Shoop stuff I am not so keen on. They are pretty to look at, just like marzipan, but don't exactly taste like much by themselves, you know, sort of like marzipan.

tag(s):|||

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/1420/4249467

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Look! Shoop! Look Shoop:

Comments

yak kin mak mak !!! I misssssssss Thailand and all the yummy food and kanom. Hope I have enough saving to go back by the end of this year.

G'day from downunder


I am such a sucker for little things which look like the bigger things. It's when I think food coloring really has a purpose. And this always shocks all my colleagues.

Interesting, they look a lot like marzipan fruit candies!

I really love look shoob. Especially when they're very precisely painted and delicate. On some markets, they are sometimes coarser.
I think their appeal is not really a matter of taste (they don't taste like much) but of texture. I love the soft, smooth, slightly crunchy feel of the agar-agar coating, followed by the mealy softness of the bean paste. It's a very nice combination. Most of the appeal, however, is visual and poetical.

This looks EXACTLY like the almond candies we (portuguese) make in Algarve region. Fantastic!!

Post a comment

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In

Recently seen on Chez Pim

  • Cafe du Monde, New Orleans Oyster loaf at Casamento's No-knead pain au levain Yogurt, lemon, and herb dip with a twist

Monthly Archives

regarding Pim

  • Pim who? | dans la presse
    subscribe to my newsletter
    Chez Pim on Flickr | Bloglines | Facebook
    chezpim[at]gmail.com | RSS  
     

Advertising

  • Foodbuzzbadge

Popular Recipes

  • Som Tum Green Beans Pumpkin Panna Cotta
    Salted Butter Caramel Pad Thai
    Madeleine Nam Prik Pao
    Green Curry Potimarron Soup
    Gang Som, Thai sour curry Noodle with green garlic and crab
Powered by TypePad
Member since 07/2003

Cc license