Kai Tao (ไข่เต่า), or Fried Sweet Potato Balls
Bangkok, Thailand Street Food
Khai tao (ไข่เต่า), or "turtle eggs", are a traditional Thai street food snack made from fried Asian sweet potato. There are two varieties depending on the type of sweet potato used: yellow or purple. The two types are typically served together.
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| Kai Tao, or Thai "Turtle Egg" Fried Sweet Potato Balls (ไข่เต่า) |
Khai tao are made by mashing boiled sweet potatoes together with sugar, tapioca flour into a dough. The balls are hand-rolled and deep-fried in a wok of hot oil.
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| a bag of khai tao |
Good khai tao should be crispy and fried on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside.
The flavor will be the same, whether they are made with yellow or purple sweet potato, but when you buy a bag of khai tao, you'll likely get a scoop of each color.
It's a nice snack - not too heavy (although they can be a little oily), and nice in the morning.
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| the inside of a piece of khai tao sweet potato ball |
Cost
A serving of khai tao fried sweet potato balls costs just 20 THB per serving (about $0.60), making it one of the cheapest Thai street food snacks around.
Where to find it
Khai tao fried sweet potato balls can be found in the morning at fried banana stands throughout Bangkok and across Thailand. Look for street food vendors who set up along busy streets in the morning underneath big plastic umbrellas with a cart full of bananas.
For what it's worth, the fried bananas are fantastic as well!
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| a Thai street food fried banana stand |
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