Foi thong (Thai golden egg yolk threads)
Fine golden threads of egg yolk poached in jasmine syrup, the glittering Thai sweet served at weddings and celebrations.
- Time45 min
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.40 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Bring the water to the boil, add the tea bags and leave to steep for 5 minutes. Squeeze out and discard the bags. Add the sugar and simmer for 10 minutes until it forms a light syrup. Keep it at a gentle, barely bubbling simmer.
15 min - 2
Push the yolks through a fine sieve into a jug to break them up and remove any white. Stir in 1 tbsp water to make a runny, pourable mixture.
- 3
Make a funnel: use a small piping bottle or a squeezy bottle with a tiny hole pricked in the cap, or a jug with a small spout. Fill it with the yolk.
- 4
Holding it about 10 cm above the pan, drizzle the yolk in a thin stream while moving round in a circle, so threads form on the surface. Cook for about 30 seconds, until set.
0 min 30 s - 5
Use two forks or chopsticks to lift the nest of threads out, fold it in half and place on a plate. Repeat in batches, skimming the syrup if it gets cloudy.
- 6
Cool the folded threads for 10 minutes before serving. They keep in the fridge for 2 days. Serve as a topping for other Thai sweets or on their own.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
