Kleeb lam-duan (Thai flower cookie)

by Kaw Dockum

The recipe below is for a large batch, but it can be reduced, too.

Ingredients

5 cups of flour

2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Mix flour and sugar together, then add oil. Knead until well mixed. Divide the dough into smaller bowls and add food coloring by preference. Roll dough into 1/2 inch to 1 inch balls (chill the dough first if it's too soft). Use a sharp knife to slice the ball into 3 or 4 pieces (like the petals of a lam-duan flower). On a greased tray, position the "petals" so their corners touch. Roll a small ball of dough and place in the middle of the petals, like the pistil of the flower. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Optional: Use a Thai dessert candle (tian op) to add fragrance to the dessert. Place the cooled kleeb lam-duan around the edges of a large pot. It is okay to stack them. Place the dessert candle with the desired scent (I recommend jasmine) in the center. Light the dessert candle. (Dessert candles emit smoke but have no flame.) Let sit covered for a few minutes, or longer for a stronger scent, according to preference.