Portuguese egg confection used in preparing desserts
Fios de ovos
(literally "egg threads", also known as "angel hair" in English) is a traditional
Portuguese
sweet food made of
eggs
(specifically the
yolks
of duck eggs), drawn into thin strands and boiled in
sugar
syrup
. They can be found in many
Thai desserts
; this unique dish found its way to Thailand in the 17th century. It is a traditional element in
Portuguese
and
Brazilian cuisine
, in
desserts
and as
side dishes
(the side dishes are specific to Brazil).
[1]
This dish is called
Letria
in
Goa
,
[2]
not to be confused with the
vermicelli dessert
made in Portugal.
The preparation is also known in
Spain
as
Huevo hilado
("
spun
egg"), in
Japan
as
Keiran Somen
(?卵素?, "hen's egg noodle"),
[3]
[
better source needed
]
in
Cambodia
as
Vawee
,
[4]
in Malaysia as
Jala mas
("golden net"),
[5]
in
Thailand
as
Foi Thong
(??????; "golden strands"),
[6]
and in the
North Malabar
region of
Kerala, India
as
Muttamala
(????????; "egg lace").
[7]
[
better source needed
]
History
[
edit
]
Like other egg-based Portuguese sweets,
fios de ovos
is believed to have been created by Portuguese
nuns
around the 14th or 15th century.
Laundry
was a common service performed by
convents
and monasteries, and their use of
egg whites
for "
starching
" clothes created a large surplus of yolks.
[8]
The recipe was taken to Japan, Thailand and parts of India by
Portuguese explorers
between the 16th and 18th centuries.
Brazil
[
edit
]
In
Brazilian cuisine
,
fios de ovos
is used to make the Marta Rocha cake (named after Miss Brazil 1954,
Martha Rocha
), a layered cake made with alternating layers of vanilla and chocolate
sponge
, topped with whipped cream,
fios de ovos
and sometimes other toppings like
maraschino cherries
and nuts.
[9]
[
better source needed
]
It is used in a similar way as a decoration for
torta de nozes
, a layer cake made with walnut sponge filled with
doce de ovos
(an egg custard), finished with meringue topping and
fios de ovos
.
[
citation needed
]
Thailand
[
edit
]
Fios de ovos
is called
foi thong
in
Thailand
. The name of the dessert comes from the observation that it has fine, long stripes and is shiny like
silk
.
Fios de ovos
was introduced from Portugal to Thailand by
Maria Guyomar de Pinha
, half Portuguese and Japanese who was born and raised in
Thailand
. It is considered a fine dessert. The word
thong
('gold') has an auspicious connotation to Thai people. The long stripe is also seen as symbolizing a long life and undying love.
[10]
It is sometimes considered the Queen of Thai desserts.
[11]
Japan
[
edit
]
Keiran Somen
is the name of
fios de ovos
in
Japan
. The dessert is one of the
nanbangashi
, which are desserts introduced from
Portugal
during the
Nanban trade
.
[
citation needed
]
Uses
[
edit
]
In
Portugal
and
Brazil
,
fios de ovos
are often used in fillings such as
pao de rala
,
cake decorations
and other desserts and accompaniments for sweet dishes. In Brazil, they are also used as accompaniments in savory dishes, often served with canned fruits alongside
Christmas
turkey
.
[12]
[13]
[
better source needed
]
In Japan, they are served in the form of dessert rolls (
wagashi
), and known as
keiran
s?men
(
?卵素?
, egg yolk thin noodles)
.
[3]
[
better source needed
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
TudoGostoso,
"Doces a base de ovos"
. Accessed on April 27, 2023.
- ^
Menon, Smitha (2021-11-24).
"Hidden waterfalls and vinyls: the Goa you need to meet"
.
Conde Nast
Traveller India
. Retrieved
2022-12-10
.
- ^
a
b
Kyoto Foodie
,
Wagashi: Angel Hair Keiran Somen (Fios de Ovos)
. Accessed on July 7, 2009.
- ^
Longteine De Monteiro (1998).
The Elephant Walk Cookbook: Cambodian Cuisine from the Nationally Acclaimed Restaurant
. Houghton Mifflin.
- ^
Mahsinah Abdullah, Sharifah (July 24, 2012).
"It's sweet by any name"
.
New Straits Times
. Archived from
the original
on May 5, 2014.
- ^
Bangkok Post Educational Services
, "
Three tempting Thai delicacies
". Accessed on October 29, 2011.
- ^
Muttamala Recipe
, "
[1]
" Accessed on September 12, 2017
- ^
Marina Alves (2008),
Dos deuses
[
permanent dead link
]
. Online article, Jornal da Pampulha,
Belo Horizonte
, accessed on July 5, 2009.
- ^
"6 Marta Rocha cake recipes for a classic birthday party"
. 28 April 2018.
- ^
Wandee Na- Songkhla (2012).
Legendary thai dishes in three eras
.
. Accessed on September 14, 2016.
- ^
Thai Desserts,
"Thai Food and Culture"
Archived
2013-11-13 at the
Wayback Machine
. Accessed on September 14, 2016.
- ^
Porto Cultura,
"Peru de Natal"
. Accessed on July 8, 2009.
- ^
Terra Culinaria,
"Peru de Natal"
Archived
2008-12-21 at the
Wayback Machine
. Accessed on July 7, 2009.
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