Must-try dessert in Udon Thani
Khao tom mat
Udon Thani, Udon Thani Province
Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and a little salt, wrapped around a piece of banana in a banana leaf, tied in pairs and steamed until the parcel sets — unwrapped and eaten warm.
Taste
Sweet, soft, coconut-rich, with banana through the middle
Spice level
Not spicy
Best time to eat
Morning, from a market stall, still warm
Price range
฿10–25 a pair
Food type & tags
Best paired with
Masala chai
The dish
What is Khao tom mat?
Expect it to be sweet, soft, coconut-rich, with banana through the middle, with a not spicy kick.
The story
Why is Khao tom mat famous in Udon Thani?
A market sweet across Isan and Laos, made in quantity for temple offerings and festivals and sold in pairs because that is how they are tied. It keeps for a day without refrigeration, which is why it exists in this form, and it is the sweet a household makes rather than buys.
When to go
Best time to eat it
Khao tom mat is best enjoyed at morning, from a market stall, still warm, ideally with a hot cup of masala chai or filter coffee to balance the sweetness. Many spots make fresh batches through the day, so it’s easy to fit into your plan.
Where to eat
Best places to try Khao tom mat
Trusted Udon Thani spots — hours and directions.
Open From before dawn until mid-morning
Khao tom mat available here
DirectionsOpen Breakfast through the afternoon; many close early evening
Khao tom mat available here
DirectionsOpen Late morning until evening; many are lunch-and-afternoon places
DirectionsPerfect pairing
What to eat with Khao tom mat
Khao tom mat pairs best with a hot cup of masala chai or filter coffee to balance the sweetness. It’s a vegetarian dessert, so keep the rest of the plate light and let the dish be the star.
Make a morning of it
Pair it with a photo spot
Eat well, then shoot nearby in Udon Thani.
Ban Chiang
Late morning at the open pit at Wat Pho Si Nai, when the sun is high enough to reach into the excavation — the museum interior is lit for objects rather than for cameras
Fuel up on Khao tom mat, then shoot Ban Chiang.
See photo spot
Nong Prajak Park
The hour before sunset, when the light is across the water and the city comes out to walk — and at dawn, when the mist is on the lake and the exercise groups are out
Fuel up on Khao tom mat, then shoot Nong Prajak Park.
See photo spot
Phu Phrabat
Early morning, when the light comes sideways through the trees onto the mushroom rocks and the forest is still cool — this is a walking site and by eleven you will not want to be on it
Fuel up on Khao tom mat, then shoot Phu Phrabat.
See photo spotWant something else?
Search Udon Thani food by craving
Khao tom mat in Udon Thani
On the end of the meal in Udon Thani, Khao tom mat holds its place - sweet, soft, coconut-rich, with banana through the middle, vegetarian, and exactly the kind of thing worth crossing town for.
Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and a little salt, wrapped around a piece of banana in a banana leaf, tied in pairs and steamed until the parcel sets — unwrapped and eaten warm
🍛 What it is
Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and a little salt, wrapped around a piece of banana in a banana leaf, tied in pairs and steamed until the parcel sets — unwrapped and eaten warm - that is the whole idea of it, and everything else on this page follows from there.
The category tells you most of the practical story: a sweet, which in Udon Thani means a measured serving, portions sized to the moment rather than to a menu photograph.
Locally it is filed under: vegetarian, thailand, isan - which is the vocabulary to use when asking for it.
📜 Where it comes from
A market sweet across Isan and Laos, made in quantity for temple offerings and festivals and sold in pairs because that is how they are tied. It keeps for a day without refrigeration, which is why it exists in this form, and it is the sweet a household makes rather than buys.
Dishes like this travel badly and reproduce badly - the version in Udon Thani is the reference version, made for the local palate at local prices.
👅 The taste, honestly
Ask what it tastes like and the answer is sweet, soft, coconut-rich, with banana through the middle; anything more specific you should taste rather than read.
There is no chilli heat in it at all.
As a sweet dish it is made to accompany rather than dominate - which tells you what to order around it: it sits beside a drink or a main without competing.
🕐 When to eat it
Locals eat it morning, from a market stall, still warm - and matching the local clock is half the pleasure of the dish.
The sweet version of the freshness rule: ask what came out recently, and take that one.
🥣 Ordering it well
In Thailand, the stall with the queue is the stall to join - locals eat standing at the good ones, and the line is the entire ranking system.
💰 What it costs
The local range is ฿10–25 a pair in Udon Thani - within it you are paying the local price; far above it, you are paying for something else.
Think of it as a budget-friendly item - kind to every wallet, and no less authentic for it.
🤝 Eating it like a local
Eat it Thai-style: in the middle of the table, a spoonful at a time among everything else, never as one lone plate.
And the pairing instinct: something bitter or plain alongside - strong tea, black coffee - because that is what the sweet is for.
Questions
Khao tom mat — FAQ
What is Khao tom mat?
Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and a little salt, wrapped around a piece of banana in a banana leaf, tied in pairs and steamed until the parcel sets — unwrapped and eaten warm.
Is Khao tom mat veg or non-veg?
Khao tom mat is vegetarian. Spice level: not spicy.
Where can I try the best Khao tom mat in Udon Thani?
Try The morning markets and The Vietnamese restaurants. See the "Best places to try it" section above for hours and directions.
What should I eat with Khao tom mat?
Pair it with a hot cup of masala chai or filter coffee to balance the sweetness.
When is the best time to eat Khao tom mat?
Khao tom mat is usually eaten in the morning, from a market stall, still warm.