Sugar ban be damned, I always have to eat pang ji (or pang chi) when I'm in L.A. These Thai street snacks are silver dollar taro coconut patties flecked with chewy kernels of corn. The batter is scooped into little mounds and pan-fried on a griddle. They're chewy, not too sweet, and I can eat ten of them in a single sitting. There's something about the mochi-like, glutinous texture of them that makes my teeth happy, while the delicate lavender hue appeals to the unicorn princess in me.
They're 10 for $4.00 from Bhan Kanom Thai, which means Thai dessert house. I recommend buying a box to share and another box to keep for yourself -- they're fantastic reheated on a hot pan at home.
While you're there, stock up on Thai candies and snacks like Party, yam cracker chips with salted butter caramel (a personal fave), dried mango fruit leather rounds, puffed rice crackers with coconut caramel, grilled sticky rice with banana wrapped in banana leaf, chewy dried fish, spicy sugared tamarind and all kinds of sweets you never knew you needed BUT YOU DO.
(Food editors: Why hasn't anyone covered Thai sweets? Somebody should write that story.)
Bhan Kanom Thai
5271 Hollywood Blvd.
323-871-8030
They're 10 for $4.00 from Bhan Kanom Thai, which means Thai dessert house. I recommend buying a box to share and another box to keep for yourself -- they're fantastic reheated on a hot pan at home.
While you're there, stock up on Thai candies and snacks like Party, yam cracker chips with salted butter caramel (a personal fave), dried mango fruit leather rounds, puffed rice crackers with coconut caramel, grilled sticky rice with banana wrapped in banana leaf, chewy dried fish, spicy sugared tamarind and all kinds of sweets you never knew you needed BUT YOU DO.
(Food editors: Why hasn't anyone covered Thai sweets? Somebody should write that story.)
Bhan Kanom Thai
5271 Hollywood Blvd.
323-871-8030
Mochi-like consistency IS fun for the teeth. Why is this?! I love the slight resistance mochi has when chewed.
God I love mochi. I love its elasticity. I also love gummi bears. Same same but different.