ข้าวมันไก่และขนมหวานไทยดั้งเดิม

P came into town for a short three days on a work trip. His schedule was packed but he had an evening free. We had him over for dinner at home. Then we could really chill out, have a drink and chat at will. I just had to clean up the floors and clear the dining table which has been piled high with nonsense. Heh. Scrambled a little to do that. I don't have people over often for meals, if at all, so there hadn't been a need to clear that dining table. :P 

Of course I didn't cook. That would be madness when my schedule is packed out for the month. I ordered chicken rice from the ever-dependable Five Star. That's comfort food for all of us. They had many dishes we could order. Had sambal sotong, omelette and tofu, and broccoli. Added a salted egg pork ribs for a different protein.

P came bearing royal gifts of dessert. Wow! He picked very traditional desserts from a new-to-me brand, Childenutt (ชายณัฐ). He knows I have grandma tastebuds when it comes to Thai desserts — I like them traditional.  He brought the harder and crumbly sampanee (or khanom sampanee / ขนมสัมปันนี) in the shape of a purple flower. (It can be pink, yellow or white too.) The other is honestly my Number 1 favorite traditional dessert — thong ek (ทองเอก), the bright yellow gold leaf, which is a soft wheat flour dumpling with egg yolk.

The brand promised that their products to hold 35% less sugar than the norm. It was indeed true! I love these desserts, but I won't eat them if they're too sweet. It's very hard to hunt down my ideal at the shops. The friends' families make them the way I love. The sampanee and thong ek were freshly made and bought the night before P flew out. They don't keep that well in the fridge, and best eaten now. It must be all savored tonight. So we did. These were such a treat tonight!