I love Khao Chae! This refreshing cooked rice soaked in cool fragranced water eaten with a few side sweet & salty dishes like sweeten shredded pork, deep fried shrimp paste balls, sweeten pickled radish.
I love this set of food a lot and because of the fact that it's so hard to find on the streets like you'd find a place that cook you Pad Thai, every time I pass by one, I would just give it a go.
Just recently, my friend saw me so obsessed with Khao Chae and she was like, 'Why don't you visit Koh Kred, there're Khao Chae everywhere there'. I'm kind of surprised by it. I haven't been to Koh Kred though I have heard that there're a lot of old school or tradition dessert all around. I love all those then plus Khao Chae, it just sounds like a place that I would like.
Koh Kred it is!
I went there with my aunt and her friends. (My boyfriend almost have a problem with this as I started to hang out with older people more and more and he's afraid I will be just as old lol)
Since it's a Koh (means 'island'), the only way we can get there is to park on land then take a boat there. Already sounds fun, doesn't it? The boat ride was like, 5THB ~ $0.03 - On Koh Kred, most of the things they have are temples, markets, restaurants and accommodation. Quite touristic I would say, both for Thais and foreigners. We can either go with rental bikes or motorbike taxi all around. All the roads are so small (think 6 feet at the widest haaa -- I think that's kind of cute!) so it's either walk or the bikes.
From the pier, we walk toward where we thought we would be staying, and stopped by at this Khao Chae place recommended by a local there, 'Uncle Dang Khao Chae'. Really just right by the river so totally beautiful view as perk of eating here.
The Khao Chae itself? Honestly, this is one of the most beautiful Khao Chae set up I have ever seen. It comes in a traditional plate with natural indigo paint. The rice, instead of white rice, they cook it with butterfly pea flower gives it a nice pretty blue color. Love it! The cool water is just perfectly scented, not too much, not too little.
The side dishes, here, come with 4 things: sweeten shredded pork, deep fried shrimp paste balls, sweeten pickled radish, and sweeten ground fish. That last one is so yummy! But best is everything combined bite by bite.
From what I learned from one of the Khao Chae shop owners, he told me that the right way to eat Khao Chae is that, you eat the rice with the side dish. Then slurp the the cool water kinda wash the palette before trying the next type of side dish. After knowing that secret (is it even?), it all makes so much sense and I just love the dish even more.
I sure recommend you give Khao Chae a try even though it might sound a little weird for some but honestly, this is one of the best refreshing (somewhat heatlhy? nah, not really) and most tradition you could find. I sure love it! Especially there where I can sit, eat and enjoy the river view at the same time. Lovely!
