Sidewalk Dessert · Crispy Coconut Crepe

Khanom Buang (Thai Crispy Mini Crepes)

Photo: Susan Slater / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The sweet version is often topped with foi thong, golden threads of egg yolk cooked in syrup, a technique traditionally credited to Maria Guyomar de Pinha at the Ayutthaya court.

A thin batter is spread onto a hot griddle into small crisp discs, folded around a whipped meringue-coconut cream filling and topped with either sweet shredded coconut and candied egg yolk threads, or a savory version with dried shrimp and chili. Vendors assemble each one to order and hand it over still warm.

Why it's made this way: The dessert dates back to the Ayutthaya era, and its two-toned sweet-and-savory pairing remains a signature of old-style Thai street dessert carts in Bangkok and central Thailand.