Last Updated on March 19, 2015 by Nancie
Welcome to week 219 (03/19/2015) of Travel Photo Thursday. Thais love their Khanom Wan Thai (dessert). This week I want to introduce you to one of my favorite Thai desserts, Ruam Mit. In fact, it could be my favorite! Sold from a family run stall in Chiang Mai’s Chinatown Wararot Market, I always make my way here every couple of weeks when I’m in Chiang Mai.
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Ruam Mit is a (delicious) mixture of a variety of different sweets, and (YES) vegetables. Floating in this delicious concoction, which has a faint flowery aroma, you will find tapioca balls (boba), corn, red beans, chunks of sweet potato, strips of shredded coconut, and (very sweet) gelatin strips. The mother and daughter team who run the stall, which is located just outside the entrance to Tom Lam Yai Market make huge stainless steel bowls of ruam mit everyday. I have never seen the stall empty of customers. I am sure it must be one of the most popular food stalls in the entire market, and rightly so!
I’m savoring the sweetness in my mind as I gaze longingly at this photo…. (sad face)
Served over shaved ice, it will not only tantalize your taste buds, but cool you down on a hot Chiang Mai day. The price is perfect too! — 15 Thai Baht!
Even the monks can’t resist!
Traveler’s Tip
Wararot Market is one of Chiang Mai’s busiest markets and is located at the end of Chang Moi Road close to the Ping River. You’ll know you are in Chinatown and a stones throw from the market as soon as you walk through the Chinese gate. Turn right at either the first or second side street. You’ll see a red colored walkway that joins the two buildings. The entrance is right at the walkway, and is to the right. You’ll see the sign for the Tom Lam Yai Market, and the Ruam Mit stall is right there. The market is open every day from early morning to early evening. You’ll probably want to get to the Ruam Mit stall before 5pm.
Have you tried Ruam Mit? What did you think?
This is the 219th edition of Travel Photo Thursday. You can browse the archives here.
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39 responses to “Chiang Mai: Delicious Ruam Mit for Travel Photo Thursday”
Wow! We often eat at a place called Raum Mit — but I had no idea what Raum Mit was. I don’t think they even serve Raum Mit!
Hi Cindy. That’s funny. I wonder if the owners actually know that there is a dessert called Raum Mit.
Not sure if my first comment went through . . . I loved this post because we often eat at a place called Raum Mit and had no idea what it meant. Now I know, but I’m pretty sure they don’t have this on the menu!
I don’t think I’ve ever had a treat similar. I’d love to see the market.
Hi Tonya…Wararot Market is great. Although it does see a lot of tourist traffic, it’s very much a locals market. I find the prices usually better than anywhere else in the city.
Hi Nancie, Ruam Mit looks so yummy and refreshing. I love anything with tapioca balls and red beans. It reminds me so much of the “halo-halo” in the Philippines that I used to indulged with a lot when I was growing up. I love that photo with a monk.
Hi Marisol…You would definitely love Ruam Mit! I thought the monk really made the shot! 🙂
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Tapioca, corn, red beans, sweet potato, coconut… I would love to try it…
Hi Lili…it is so good. If you ever get the chance, do try it.
I’ve tasted something similar and was in a quandary as to whether I liked it or not. It certainly is unusual. I think I could get to love it.
Hi Jan. I’ve tried quite a of these “ice” desserts in Asia, and this one is my favorite. I think one of the reasons is that there isn’t too much ice, plus the strong coconut flavor.
What an interesting combination of ingredients and what a lovely sounding flavor is produced. You made me hungry!
Hi Jackie! haha…I hope you found something good to eat! You should try to find this when you’re in Bangkok. 🙂
Try as I might I just can’t learn to like Asian desserts like this. They look pretty but I really can’t stomach tapioca! Give me chocolate any day!!
Hi Phoebe…well you can’t beat chocolate! I actually don’t like a lot of them either, but this one is an exception. The strong coconut flavor does it for me.
Nancie, I tried something close to this in Singapore. I was really excited, because I love ice and sweet, but I’m not so sure it was the taste for me. If it were more fruit and less beans I think it would be more my style!
Hi Corinne. I’m not a big fan of a lot of these iced desserts in Asia (I am not a fan at all of the Korean shaved ice), but this one really does it for me. It’s the coconut flavor!
This is also a very popular dessert in the Philippines called halo halo, I love it. I’ll be in Chang Mai end of March so I’ll keep my eyes open for it, is it safe to eat with the ice though?
Hi Noel… I have never had a problem with the ice in Chiang Mai. In fact, I prefer to see the ice than something sitting on a tray with no ice frying in the sun. (Obviously, that would not be this dish). You’ll see a lot of street stalls in CM selling sushi. I have never heard anything bad, but the fact that it usually isn’t on ice makes me stay far away from it.
Well, if the monks can’t resist…
I really like the bottom photo, showing everything about this little corner of the market: the food on offer, the interaction, and the little red chairs. Those remind me of eating on the streets of Vietnam.
Hi Bob,
Who’s going to argue with a monk, right? 🙂
I remember this treat so well from when I visited Chiang Mai. I admit I was not so trilled to try it. My husband was the one who felt inclined to try (he is the adventurous eater). Then, I tried a little bit from his and yum, I was hooked. Like you said,a perfect treat to battle the heat.
Hi Ruth…I am so glad you tried it, and loved it! 🙂
Wow, what an unusual combination of ingredients. I’d love to try it. Sometimes the most unlikely things will do the trick, whether it’s dealing with excessive heat or the reverse.
Hi Betsy…It’s a strange sounding combination that works!
This is one aspect of asian food I could never wrap my head around. Their notion of “sweets” is just too far from mine.
Hi Eileen. Some of the sweet concoctions that the Asians come up with are a little hard for a person to get their head around. There’s a lot of them that I don’t bother with.
Although the second photo looks divine my first thoughts went to the ice. Safe?? I’m always nervous about getting sick.
Hi Leigh…I’ve never gotten sick in CM from the ice or the food. That’s not to say that it couldn’t happen, but it isn’t something that I worry about.
Ruam Mit does not appeal to me – sweet with veggies, not sure about, but I would give it a try, maybe I would be pleasantly surprised and enjoy this treat? Thanks for introducing me to this Thai meal.
Hi Susan! I hope that if you get to CM that you give this a try, and love it!
I’ve never been to the Tom Lam Yai Market, but now will make a point of going there and visiting the Ruam Mit stall. Here is a crepe stall I visited on a day trip on my most recent trip, https://youtu.be/ZOfL9uZG2Nw
I know a similar desert from Malaysia, but I can’t remember its name anymore (something Ais xxx). Some Malay introduce me to it many years ago. Despite the gaudy colours it tastes quite good and is refreshing.
That looks delicious, and must be so refreshing.
I never tried (saw) Raum Mit when we were in Chiang Mai, but I like all the ingredients separately, so I’d be willing to give it a try—except the ice thing in Chiang Mai would probably give me pause. We were using bottled water to brush our teeth and we were only there for 4 days, so we couldn’t “afford” to waste any of them being sick. My husband had something vaguely similar in Nara, Japan (where I’d drink the tap water and eat the ice all day long). It was red bean paste on green tea shave ice. (Then, there’s the water near the Fukashima Nuclear Poweer Plant disaster, so maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to assume that anything Japanese is safe).
Ruam Mit sounds very interesting and the shaved ice would definitely be welcome on a hot day. Not so sure about the floating veggies but I’d be willing to give it a try!
Ruam Mit sounds like a very interesting combination of ingredients. One of my favorite things about travel is trying and enjoying new and totally different foods and dishes. So fun!
Oh no, I didn’t have a chance to try this when I was in Chiang Mai. It reminds me a lot of Malaysian ais kacang. I’m on a mission to try shaved ice desserts around the world. I suppose I’ll just have to go back to Thailand for some ruam mit.