Asian restaurants are in a constant state of both high supply and demand. Households nationwide tend to pick one to hold near and dear whenever that random craving strikes, which could happen at any hour of the day. When deciding where we go to meet our need for noodles, convenience and reliability are often key factors, while quality may prove to be secondary.
Although Chinese food reigns supreme, I frequently find myself in a state of either wanting or needing Thai food. When the need is too overpowering to resist, I drive twenty minutes west to A Lot of Thai in Merrimack.
While there are plenty of Thai restaurants that are much more convenient from my base in downtown Manchester (some of which are very good. If I want quality Drunken Noodles in 15 minutes flat, I have place for that too), none of them quite hold up to this little eatery that’s dwarfed by the other businesses in the plaza where it’s found.
The atmosphere is inviting and stylish, the service is prompt and friendly and the food is never less than fantastic. Their abundant menu caters to everyone from vegetarians to Thai food novices to seasoned veterans who want to try something new. Although I tend to stick to my rotation of five to six dishes that I’m comfortable with, on a recent visit, I sampled an item that I had never seen on any other Thai menu.
After shoveling an entire plate of spicy, non-greasy basil fried rice into my mouth, I had no rational excuse to order more food, let alone more rice. However, I was eager to try a very unusual sweet that had piqued my interest ever since I first peered at the menu about a year prior. This meal needed an encore; enter Khao Tom Mad.
Perhaps best thought of as Mango Sticky Rice’s elusive cousin, this reserved final course may be a hard sell for the chocolate cake crowd, but it’s popularity across Thailand and nearby Laos is not without reason. Mildly sweet and super starchy, Khao Tom Mad combines sticky rice, banana, coconut milk and black beans. The mixture is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed before being unveiled in all its humble glory.
While other Asian sweets such as spheres of deep-fried green tea ice cream or Thai iced teas may deliver decadence in a way Khao Tom Mad will never acheive, the unmatched simplicity and clean flavors of this rice-centric dish are a welcome change of pace from the hyper-caloric desserts we’re all used to.
Enriched with coconut milk, the texture resembles to an ultra-firm rice pudding. The banana and reserved amount of sugar in the rice contribute just enough sweetness, while the black beans provide an unexpected but welcome bit of earthiness.
This treat is found in markets across Thailand and was originally given to Monks at the onset of Buddhist lent. It’s much more difficult to find in New England, but that’s just one more reason to appreciate it’s inclusion on A Lot of Thai’s menu. It’s also remarkably simple to prepare at home; aluminum foil is a popular substitute for banana leaves during the steaming process.
While Khao Tom Mad may not be the most grandiose dessert on any given menu, it remains a unique Southeast Asian specilaty that will entice any rice connoisseur. Get some at 360 Daniel Webster Hwy Unit 121, Merrimack, NH.
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