Thai Fruit Carving

Kae sa lak is traditionally traced to the Sukhothai court in the fourteenth century, where a lady of the palace named Nang Nopphamat is credited in the chronicles with carving a lotus-shaped decoration for a floating krathong; whether the story is history or later attribution, fruit and vegetable carving became a court accomplishment and was taught to palace women for centuries before spreading outward. The work is done with one small knife held like a pen, cutting petals into watermelon, papaya, pumpkin, carrot, taro and soap, working from the outside in so the layers open like a flower, and a competent carver produces a rose in a few minutes and an elaborate piece over hours. It is taught in schools, at cooking classes and in workshops across the country, and appears at every formal Thai table and hotel buffet. Learning even the basic rose takes several hours and most beginners cut themselves.

What you actually see

• The single knife - a small blade held like a pen, doing all the work.
• The materials - watermelon, papaya, pumpkin, taro and carved soap.
• The court origin - traced to the Sukhothai palace in the fourteenth century.
• The classes - workshops teaching the basic forms in a few hours.

When to go

Any time. Classes run in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and most tourist centres and need booking. Two to four hours for an introductory session.

Honest expectations

Harder than it looks - beginners produce rough work and cuts are common. Classes are charged and vary widely in quality. Carved fruit does not travel or keep; soap carving is what people take home.

Nearby

Cooking schools in Bangkok and Chiang Mai run the most classes; hotels demonstrate at buffets.