From royal-court recipes to a familiar street-food favourite, Thailand’s crispy pancakes have a history rooted in literature, tradition and changing tastes.
BANGKOK – Known in English as Thai crêpes or crispy pancakes, khanom buang is a traditional Thai snack believed to date back centuries. References to the delicacy appear in Thai literature and historical accounts, while different versions reflect how recipes have evolved over time.
Its origins are often traced to the Sukhothai period, based on what is believed to be evidence in temple paintings in the ancient city. The snack continued into the Ayutthaya period, appearing in Khun Chang Khun Phaen, one of Thailand’s best-known literary works, and was associated with royal ceremonies held throughout the year.
Another reference appears in Kham Hai Kan Khun Luang Ha Wat, or the Testimony of King Uthumphon, which mentions cooking equipment used for traditional snacks, including khanom buang.
Today, the snack is best known for its thin, crisp shell topped with white cream and golden foi thong, or strands of egg yolk. But older recipes and royal-court varieties offered a wider range of flavours.
From traditional recipes to modern toppings
Khanom buang is made by spreading batter into a thin, round shape on a hot cooking surface. Common ingredients for the shell include rice flour, egg yolk, limewater and palm sugar.
The familiar modern version combines a crisp base with white cream and foi thong, creating a contrast in texture and colour.
Traditional recipes, however, were not necessarily the same as those sold today. One older version reportedly used rice flour and coconut milk, seasoned only with salt. According to the historical account, this recipe is no longer made.
Royal-court-style khanom buang traditionally came in two main varieties: savoury shrimp and sweet.
The shrimp topping was made with finely chopped large river prawns, mixed with pounded pepper, coriander and prawn fat. The mixture was stir-fried with sugar and fish sauce or salt until fragrant. The modern version often uses coconut coloured red instead.
The sweet variety traditionally combined candied winter melon, foi thong and dried persimmon. Today, the topping is more commonly reduced to white cream and foi thong.
Another reported variation from the Suan Sunandha Palace tradition featured pork. Minced pork was mixed with pounded garlic, pepper and coriander roots, with bird’s-eye chilli added before the mixture was cooked.
These varieties show that khanom buang, now widely associated with sweet street food, once encompassed a broader range of flavours and preparations.
An origin story linked to ancient India
One theory suggests that khanom buang developed from a type of pancake made in ancient India during the time of the Buddha. According to this account, the food was cooked on terracotta tiles and was brought to Siam by Indian Brahmins who travelled to the region to spread religious teachings.
The theory is linked to the book Thammabotphadet, which recounts a story about Kosiya, a wealthy but miserly man who wanted to eat pancakes without sharing them.
According to the story, Kosiya instructed his wife to prepare the pancakes on the seventh floor of their mansion so that nobody else would receive any. The Buddha then sent Moggallana, one of his principal disciples, to seek alms.
Kosiya initially told his wife to make only a tiny pancake as an offering. Yet whenever she spread the batter, it expanded to fill the pan. Repeated attempts produced the same result, until Kosiya finally gave up and offered a larger pancake.
Moggallana then taught him about the harm caused by miserliness. The story says that Kosiya and his wife attained spiritual insight and became generous.
This account forms part of the traditional narrative surrounding the snack, but it should be understood as a religious story rather than definitive historical proof of khanom buang’s origins.
A test of skill in Thai literature
Khanom buang also appears in Thai literature as a measure of domestic skill.
In Khun Chang Khun Phaen, two characters, Nang Si Mala and Nang Soi Fa, compete in their ability to spread the batter. The episode reflects how preparing the snack could be regarded as a mark of skill and refinement for women in traditional Thai society.
The practice also gave rise to a Thai idiom that literally means “spreading khanom buang with one’s mouth”. In English, the expression describes someone who is good at talking but fails to act, or who criticises others without demonstrating the ability to do the task themselves.
The saying connects the snack to a broader cultural idea: talking about a skill is not the same as being able to perform it.
From its historical associations and literary appearances to its familiar place among Thailand’s street snacks, khanom buang offers a glimpse into how Thai food traditions evolve while retaining traces of the past.
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