Royal Khao Chae Recipe from the Ban Palkhawong Family of Ayutthaya

Greetings. During Thailand's hot April weather, many people crave refreshing desserts such as shaved ice, bingsu, and ice cream. However, another dish perfectly suited for the hot season is Khao Chae, a traditional Thai cold rice dish.

Khao Chae is a Mon dish that originated in the city of Hanthawaddy. When the Mons migrated to Thailand, they brought the recipe for Khao Chae with them. Khao Chae is traditionally eaten during Songkran, the Thai New Year, and is therefore also known as "Ping Sangkran" or "rice eaten during the Songkran festival".

Today, I will introduce you to the royal Khao Chae recipe of the Palakawong Na Ayutthaya family, available at Chefs De Plago.

The photos were taken after the dish was finished. The restaurant is located in the Sikhara Plaza Resort in Bangsaen. It is a beachfront resort located on Sukhumvit Soi 22. If you are driving from Bangkok, you will need to make a U-turn. The resort has outdoor parking. It was very hot on the day I visited, and it would be nice if the resort's parking lot had more shade.

The restaurant is located behind the resort's beach. To access it, follow the path indicated by the accompanying image.

Walk into the lobby and follow the signs.

And then walk along the path heading towards the beach. 555+

After walking for a while, I met Phra Wan and Karakadee welcoming me. 555+

Chef de Plazoi is offering Khao Chae Ban Palkhawong in Ayutthaya from April 1st to 30th. This information was shared by Phra Wan and Karakade.

The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating with a sea view. However, considering the current weather, sitting outdoors might be too hot. As you can see from the picture, the sun is quite strong.

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Opting for the air-conditioned room, the interior design presents a minimalist aesthetic, emphasizing white tones and clear glass to capture the ambiance of the sea.

The restaurant offers a diverse menu featuring steaks, pizzas, Japanese cuisine, and Thai dishes. Additionally, they boast a selection of refreshing beverages.

The sweltering heat prompted me to prepare a refreshing Khao Chae, a traditional Thai dish, to combat the oppressive temperature. The desire for something cool and invigorating led me to this culinary endeavor.

The main ingredient of Khao Chae is rice. The rice used in this dish is high-quality jasmine rice, which is cooked with butterfly pea water, if I'm not mistaken. The rice can be refilled as needed.

The next dish was a fragrant jasmine flower infusion. This infusion was made with real jasmine flowers, not artificial or synthetic ones. It seemed that the jasmine flowers used had been smoked with incense. When the water was mixed with the rice and taken into the mouth, the aroma of jasmine and incense filled the entire mouth. The jasmine flower infusion and ice water could be refilled as needed.

The accompaniments for this dish include shrimp paste balls, shredded fish, sweet pork floss, pickled radish, chili peppers stuffed with minced pork, fried shallots, and decorative elements such as white turmeric, cucumber, chili peppers, spring onions, and intricately carved mangoes.

The side dishes at this restaurant are incredibly delicious, the best I've ever had.

Deep-fried shrimp paste balls, crispy and non-greasy, with a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. The sweetness of the coconut sugar adds a delightful touch.

The sweet and tender shredded fish meat pairs perfectly with the fragrant jasmine rice.

The sweet pork has a standard taste, not outstanding but not bad. It tastes like ordinary shredded pork.

The stir-fried radish cake is perfectly sweet, with a satisfying crunch in every bite. The dish is not greasy at all.

The stuffed chili peppers, wrapped in a golden egg net, offer a delightful contrast between the crispness of the chili peppers and the savory flavors of the pork and egg filling.

Crispy fried shallots, perfectly cooked without excess oil, with a delightful aroma and ideal flavor.

Moreover, white turmeric has a cool taste and is very effective in rinsing the mouth.

A small, tart, carved mango can also effectively cleanse the palate.

Oh, I almost forgot one more thing. The dried chili peppers seen in the picture are stuffed with sweet fish paste. This is an ancient recipe that is very difficult to find. I just found it here for the first time. Usually, I only see chili peppers stuffed with minced pork and wrapped in golden threads. I must say that it is very delicious and goes perfectly with the rice dip.

Another important side dish that I almost forgot to mention is dried fish with watermelon. I'm not sure what the exact name is, but it's absolutely delicious. The sweet and cool taste of the watermelon perfectly complements the savory and crispy dried fish.

This restaurant serves the most delicious Khao Chae I have ever tasted. The accompanying fried side dishes are remarkably non-greasy compared to other establishments I have frequented.

In addition to the Khao Chae, I also ordered two other dishes to eat.

The first dish, beef massaman curry, was delicious with a sweet and slightly spicy flavor. The absence of peanuts made it smoother than the usual massaman curry I've had. The curry sauce was excellent, with no excessive oiliness. The potatoes were cut into bite-sized pieces, allowing the sauce to permeate them, resulting in a delightful flavor. However, the beef was slightly lacking in fat, making the texture a bit tough.

Secondly, the stir-fried seafood in spicy sauce, with a prominent peppery heat that mellows into a sweet and savory balance. This dish was truly delicious.

In my personal opinion, the food at this restaurant is authentically Thai. If you're looking to try traditional Thai cuisine, I highly recommend this place. The location is fantastic, right on the beachfront, so you can enjoy delicious food while taking in the beautiful ocean views and listening to the sound of the waves.

Please rate each dish I have eaten.

In my opinion, the Khao Chae here deserves a perfect score of 10/10. Compared to other Khao Chae restaurants in Bangkok with similar price points (around 399 baht), this one is significantly more delicious.

The beef massaman curry receives an 8/10 rating. Considering its price of 250 baht, the taste is considered reasonable. However, the portion size could be slightly larger, and the amount of beef was a bit lacking, resulting in a slight deduction in the score.

Stir-fried seafood in chili sauce (9/10 for 280 baht). The squid and shrimp were fresh and the flavor was good, but it could have been spicier for my taste. I deducted 1 point for that.

If you have the opportunity to visit Bangsaen, don't forget to try this dish. However, it is recommended that you order in advance, as the restaurant prepares all side dishes fresh. If you do not order in advance, you may have to wait a long time for your food to be prepared. You can contact the restaurant at 088 992 2669.