 Fios de ovos inBrazil | |
| Type | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Portugal |
| Associatedcuisine | Portuguese,Spanish,Brazilian,Japanese,Cambodian,Lao,Malaysian, andThai |
| Main ingredients | Eggyolks,sugarsyrup |
| Variations | Encharcada,doces de ovos |
Fios de ovos (lit. 'egg threads') is a traditionalPortuguese sweet food made out ofeggyolks, drawn into thin strands and boiled insugarsyrup. It is used as agarnish oncakes andpuddings, as a filling for cakes, or eaten on its own.[1]
ThroughPortuguese trade and colonization, the dish has spread to many countries inAsia.[2] InJapan, it is known askeiran sōmen[3] (鶏卵素麺,lit. 'hen egg noodles'), inCambodia asvawee[4] (Khmer:វ៉ោយ), inMalaysia asjala mas (lit. 'golden net'),[5] inThailand asfoi thong (Thai:ฝอยทอง;lit. 'golden strand'),[6] and in theMalabar region ofKerala, India asmuttamala (മുട്ടമാല;lit. 'egg chain' or 'egg necklace').[7] This dish is calledletria inGoa.[8]Fios de ovos is also popular inBrazil, as well asSpain, where it is known ashuevo hilado. InSeville, it is shaped into peaked cones calledyemas de San Leandro [es].[2]
Like other egg-based Portuguese sweets,fios de ovos is believed to have been created by Portuguesenuns around the 14th or 15th century.Laundry was a common service performed byconvents and monasteries, and their use ofegg whites for "starching" clothes created a large surplus of yolks.[9] Between the 16th and 18th centuries Portuguese explorers took the recipe to Japan, Thailand and parts of India.
InBrazilian cuisine,fios de ovos is used as a topping for Marta Rocha Torte, a cake named afterMiss Brazil 1954Martha Rocha.[10]
InNorth Malabar region of Kerala, the Portuguese-introducedfios de ovos was adapted into a local variation known asMuttamala, a sweet made of egg yolk threads cooked in sugar syrup. It represents one of the enduring culinary influences of the Portuguese presence in Kerala during the 16th century. In Goa, this dish is known asletria.
Fios de ovos is calledvoy[11] orvawee inKhmer. It is garnished with brightcandied fruit, such ascherries, and reserved only for special occasions. According to Cambodian chef Longteine De Monteiro,Vawee's origin is Thai and before that,royal Khmer.[4] It can be bought only in a few select shops inPhnom Penh, where it is made by women who used to live in theRoyal Palace.[4]
It is one of the most difficult desserts to make inLao cuisine.Foi thong is boiled inpandanus leaf-flavoured sugar syrup. InLaos, it is traditionally served atweddings and other ceremonial occasions, where the length of the egg threads symbolises long life.[12]
Fios de ovos is calledfoi thong (Thai:ฝอยทอง;lit. 'golden strand') inThai. The name of the dessert comes from the observation that it has fine, long stripes and is shiny likesilk.Fios de ovos was introduced from Portugal to Thailand byMaria Guyomar de Pinha, half Portuguese and Japanese who was born and raised inThailand. It is considered a fine dessert. The wordthong ('gold') has an auspicious connotation to Thai people. The long stripe is also seen as symbolizing a long life and undying love.[13]
Keiran sōmen is the name offios de ovos inJapan. The dessert is one of thenanbangashi, which are desserts introduced fromPortugal during theNanban trade.[citation needed]
InPortugal andBrazil,fios de ovos are often used in fillings such aspão 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 alongsideChristmasturkey.[14][15][better source needed] In Japan, they are served in the form of dessert rolls (wagashi),[16] and known askeiransōmen (鶏卵素麺; egg yolk thin noodles).[3] In North Malabar, India, they are typically prepared for weddings and festive occasions, usually served with pinjanathappam, a steamed pudding made from egg whites.
| Individual dishes |
|
|---|---|
| Curries | |
| Salads | |
| Sauces, spices and flavourings | |
| Desserts, snacks and pastries | |
| Beverages | |
| Cambodian Chinese dishes | |
| Staples | |
|---|---|
| Soups / stews | |
| Salads / wraps | |
| Snacks / desserts | |
| Beverages | |
| Condiments | |
| Utensils | |
| Common dishes |
| ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snacks |
| ||||||||||||
| Desserts | |||||||||||||
| Drinks |
| ||||||||||||
| Condiments | |||||||||||||
| Individual dishes | |
|---|---|
| Shared dishes | |
| Isan dishes | |
| Northern Thai dishes | |
| Southern Thai dishes | |
| Snacks |
|
| Desserts |
|
| Miscellaneous |
|
| Beverages | |
| See also | |
