Thailand and India have some of the tastiest desserts, and imagine bringing the best of both worlds together. Thai desserts are known for their coconut-rich flavours, balanced with just the right touch of sweet and salt, while Indian desserts revolve around creamy milk and the aroma of elaichi. Now, it’s time to get a little inventive and see if creating a fusion can take your taste buds to a whole new level.
So check out these 8 Thai–Indian dessert fusion dishes and see which ones you’d try.
We've tried the classic milk bari, kaju barfi and coconut barfi, which are our familiar favourites, but imagine trying mango and sticky rice flavoured barfi. The top layer will be mango barfi, and the second layer is like coconut barfi, but made Thai style. Meaning it's lightly sweet but with a hint of salt. The first bite might make your raise your eyebrows, but once it works, there's no untasting it.
Thapthim krop, also known as red rubies dessert, is a classic Thai dessert that is traditionally served with a coconut milk base. Now, try replacing the coconut milk with ras malai milk. The crunchiness of the red water chesnut against the silky elaichi-infused milk will catch your taste buds offguard in the best possible way.
Khanom Bueang with Gajar Ka Halwa Filling could get most of you thinking, this is unexpected, but it would actually work. The combination of nutty and milk-infused carrot halwa with that paper-thin, crunchy base just hits all the right notes. It's like bringing together two desserts that just match without trying too hard.
Mango with sticky rice is no doubt delicious, but have you ever tried gulab jamun with sticky rice? This combination could be absolutely mind-blowing. The rich texture of gulab jamun with its sweet caramelised sugar notes hits different when it meets the chewy bite of sticky rice and creamy coconut. An unusual combination but can surprise your taste buds in the best way. The perfect choice for sweet tooths!
Khanom Khrok never fails to impress, but how about instead of the coconut custard filling, we replace it with soft cashew cream with a pinch of cardamom and sprinkled with finely chopped cashew. Your tastebuds get an interesting contrast of crisp rice edges, milky cashew richness, and a soft coconut finish that lingers gently.
Thai tea kulfi sounds enticing, doesn't it? Right from your first bite, you get the malty aroma of Thai tea followed by the gentle sweetness from condensed milk and a subtle hint of cinnamon. It's the kind of creaminess that melts slowly on the tongue. You get that finish that feels familiar and indulgent at the same time.
Patangko dipped in condensed milk or kaya, will never go out of style, but having it with rabri unlocks a whole new dimension of flavour. Patango is not sweet; it has that light saltiness and bread-like flavour. Crispy on the outside, and slightly chewy on the inside. Dipping it in rabri goes beyond the usual sweet-and-salty contrast. It's the subtle kick from cardamom and saffron that gives it a rich, distinctly Indian finish.
Imagine having your favourite crunchy jalebi, but instead of the usual rose and cardamon aftertaste, you get that vanilla-like pandan finish. It's the kind of combination that sounds wrong but could taste very, very right. You still get that syrupy juicey taste, but with the green note giving it a slightly cooling lift that keeps it fresh.
Which of the above really tempted you? Some of these Thai–Indian dessert ideas probably got a few of you thinking, wow, this could really work. For some, they may have sparked curiosity, , while for others, raised a few skeptical eyebrows. But either way, if this got you thinking, dessert isn’t where the fusion ends. Check out our Thai–Indian fusion dishes to see how the same idea plays out on the savoury side.