aitim (ไอติม)

Thai for ‘ice-cream’. The word developed from the Thai pronunciation of the English word ice-cream which is also commonly used. It is a general term for any sweet, frozen food, either creamy ice made from dairy products or just flavoured ice-water, such as nahm khaeng kot ice lollies (fig.) that are produced in metal tubes placed in a round aluminum ice box filled with slurry ice (fig.). Although Thailand has all the well-known brand names of ice-cream available, it also has several local specialties and varieties, some of them rather peculiar (fig.). Besides the above mentioned ice lollies, there is nahm khaeng sai (น้ำแข็งใส), a water-ice consisting of ice flakes scraped from the surface of a large ice block using a plane, poured with a sweet, colourful syrup and served in a plastic cup (fig.). Another odd variety is aitim or ice-cream kanompang boraan (ไอศกรีมขนมปังโบราณ), scoops of ice-cream served on a hotdog-like bread roll, flavoured with sweetened condensed milk and topped with roasted peanuts (fig.). Sometimes also red beans, sweet potato and sticky rice may be added. A more haute-cuisine specialty is deep fried ice-cream, in Thai called ice-cream chub paeng thod (ไอศกรีมชุบแป้งทอด) or ‘ice-cream doused in dough and fried’ which is typically served with some chocolate sauce and a red syrup (fig.) or fruit salad (fig.). See also nahm khaeng and kulfi. See also POSTAGE STAMPS (1) and (2). 回