When you enjoy foi thong, the popular Thai sweet dessert of golden threads of egg yolk cooked in sugar syrup, you are keeping alive a 400 year old connection with the Ayutthaya kingdom.
Foi thong is the Thai derivative of the Portuguese fios de ovos which literally means egg threads.
Then there is thong yip, coin size eggy mini rice and tapioca starch pancakes pinched to look like dainty golden yellow flowers. Thong yip is the Thai interpretation of Portuguese trouxas das caldas.
The Portuguese use egg yolks a lot in desserts as nuns previously used egg whites to starch their white habits. So, the nuns devised recipes with egg yolks in order not to waste them. Thais began to use egg yolks more too, following Portuguese influence during the Ayutthaya era.
Similarly, when you come across those ubiquitous colourful miniature fruit sweets known as luk chup, you are face to face with a dessert from the Ayutthaya kingdom.
Luk chup is the Thai derivative of the Portuguese marzipan. Thais make luk chup with mung bean paste, sugar, coconut milk and agar agar, while the Portuguese precursor calls for almond paste, egg white and sugar.
How did the Thai - Portuguese culinary connection come about?
During the Ayutthaya era (1351 - 1767), Siam adopted an open policy towards foreign trade and presence of foreigners in the kingdom. Traders and representatives from China, England, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Persia, Japan, etc., settled (confined) in their respective settlements (enclaves).
The Siamese kings employed foreign advisors and mercenaries to help them rule their kingdom. Civil wars and rebellions were a constant threat, and managing foreign relations was often a matter of survival.
King Narai the Great of Ayutthaya kingdom had a trusted chief minister, a Greek national named Constantine Phaulkon.
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| Phaulkon in audience with King Narai (presenting the Ambassador of France to the king) |
Phaulkon was an amazingly enterprising, talented, ambitious man. He was born in 1647 on the island of Cephalonia off Greece to poor innkeepers. At age 11, he skipped to London and hopped aboard a British East India Company ship as a cabin boy. He worked his way up to "assistant gunner" which took him to Madras (today's Chennai), West Java, and later to the Portuguese enclave in Ayutthaya (in 1674).
Phaulkon had a talent for numbers and languages, not to mention business acumen and political astuteness. Through his travels, Phaulkon picked up different local languages which made him extremely useful as an interpreter and middleman. Phaulkon found his way to and won favour with Phra Khlang, Ayutthaya's minister for foreign trade. Phaulkon eventually gained access to King Narai (reign 1656 - 1688), winning his trust and even became the king's chief minister.
In the age when travel was much more laboured than today, well travelled individuals were highly valued for their precious first hand knowledge of the outside world. For example, Italian Marco Polo was the Mongol emperor of China, Kublai Khan's advisor for 17 years.
Needless to say, the various countries trading in Ayutthaya were vying for favour and advantage with their host, the Siamese royalty. Phaulkon schooled King Narai on the age old European strategy of "balance of power".
At that time, the major European powers in Asia were the Spanish, English and the Dutch while Portuguese influence had already waned. The French hadn't had a foothold in Asia yet.
Phaulkon advised King Narai to court the French. At the time, French King Louis XIV was also eyeing expansion in Asia. So, it was a perfect match of mutual interests.
French ambassador presenting credentials to King Narai
King Narai was so happy with Phaulkon that he bestowed him the title of Luang Wijayendra "Lord of Victory" i.e. inducting him into Siamese nobility. King Louis XIV too was so pleased with Phaulkon that he made him a Count and his wife Maria Guyomar, a Countess i.e. they were French nobles too.
Maria Guyomar was of mixed Portuguese-Indian-Japanese parentage. Her Catholic father was from Portuguese Goa in India and her Catholic mother from Japan. Maria Guyomar was born in the Portuguese settlement of Ayutthaya. Maria Guyomar was an accomplished cook.
The ruins of Wichayen House in Lopburi still stand. This was where Luang Wijayendra Count Constantine Phaulkon and Countess Maria Guyomar once lived and hosted lavish parties for envoys and dignitaries. It was originally, the Embassy of France and residence of the French ambassador. Upon his Luang Wijayendra "Lord of Victory" award, Phaulkon was given a house in the compound, and the place became known as Wichayen House.
Back to Phaulkon, his close relationship with King Narai inevitably bred suspicion and jealousy among Siamese nobles. There were rumours that Phaulkon and the French were plotting to convert King Narai to Catholicism. True or false, this sparked anger among the Buddhist nobles and concern among Muslim traders such as the Persians and so-called "Moors" (Indian Muslims).
Matters took a tragic turn when King Narai's cousin Phetracha, Commander of the Royal Elephant Corps launched a coup in 1688.
War elephants in action. For illustration only
Side note: The coup of 1933 is normally considered the first military coup in Thai history. In my opinion, this coup in 1688 by Phetracha could also be considered a classic military coup. As Commander of the Royal Elephant Corps, Phetracha commanded the elite war elephants equivalent of the Western horse calvary or the tank corps in the modern context.
Wait.
So far, you (me) haven't explained how the Portuguese influenced Thai desserts / sweets ๐ค
Phaulkon's wife Countess Maria Guyomar escaped to the French fort, seeking refuge with the French garrison. Unfortunately for her, the French handed the Countess over to Phetracha in exchange for French prisoners.
Fortunately, King Phetracha spared Maria Guyomar's life and sent her to work as a slave in the royal kitchen. When King Phetracha died in 1703, Maria Guyomar was freed but she chose to stay on in the royal kitchen. She worked in the royal kitchen, rising to the rank of master chef, until her death in 1728 at age 64.
Maria Guyomar worked in the royal kitchen for a remarkable 40 years! During that time, thanks to her part Portuguese ancestry, Maria Guyomar taught Ayutthaya's royal kitchen how to make Portuguese dishes, especially desserts and sweets.
Maria Guyomar has become a legendary figure in Thai cuisine, especially in desserts and sweets. Today, Guyomar is credited with introducing several Portuguese sweets and desserts which have become icons of Thai cuisine.
Examples include foi thong or egg thread from the Portuguese fios de ovos and luk chup or "lovely" which is derived from the Portuguese marzipan.
Isn't it wonderful how the food we enjoy today can tell us so much about our history. Well, for me, if I had not been a food blogger, I may not come to learn about the amazing lives of Constantine Phaulkon and Maria Guyomar.
Thank you ๐
My trip to Ayutthaya ๐ click
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