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Bua Loy

ThailandBangkok — Cheng Sim Ei — Giant Swing

AI Overview
Bua loi (Thai: บัวลอย; English renderings include Bua Loi and Bua Loy) is a collective term in Thailand for desserts in which small dumpling-like rice cakes are served in a sweet liquid, consisting of balls made by kneading and shaping glutinous rice flour (or rice flour), boiling them, and eating them with warm sweet coconut milk syrup or a chilled milk-based sweet soup mixed with ice. It is widely sold at street stalls and dessert shops in Thailand and is enjoyed as a light snack. It is also served at Cheng Sim Ei Giant Swing in Bangkok, where a version combining dumplings and ice in a cold sweet soup can be found.

Map: Discovery Location of This Food

Taste Rating: 3.9/5

A sweet yet light milk, like sweetened condensed milk. It’s nicely chilled with ice and easy to gulp down. The shiratama dumplings are wrapped in a thin layer, and when you bite through with a little pop, plenty of sesame paste filling comes out—pleasantly grainy with just the right sweetness.
Price: 50 Baht
Meal Date: 1/3/2026
Food Travel Log: In scorching-hot Thailand, you want to stay properly hydrated.
And in moments like that, there’s a Thai sweet: Bua Loi!

The shaved ice chills you down, and the sweetened condensed milk soothes and hydrates your throat. The chewy rice dumplings pop, and black sesame says hello.

The dumplings are like a baby’s cheeks. Since I don’t have a baby, I checked by touching my own cheeks—and they were more like a middle-aged guy’s.

AI Gourmet Analysis

Overview

Bua loi (Thai: บัวลอย; English renderings include Bua Loi / Bua Loy) is a collective term in Thailand for desserts in which dumpling-like glutinous rice cakes are served in a sweet liquid. Generally, dumplings made by kneading glutinous rice flour (or rice flour), shaping it into balls, and boiling them are eaten with a warm, sweet coconut-milk-based broth, or with a chilled, milk-based liquid with added ice. It is widely found at Thai street stalls and dessert shops, and has a strong character as a light meal or snack.

This article describes the general characteristics and positioning of bua loi as a dish, focusing primarily on the bua loi served at Cheng Sim Ei Giant Swing in Bangkok, Thailand (the dish shown in the image).

Name and romanization

“บัวลอย” (bua loi) is the Thai spelling, and its romanization varies, such as Bua Loi / Bua Loy. In Japanese it is written as “ブアローイ,” “ブアロイ,” and similar variants. Locally, the term may refer either to the dumplings themselves or to the dessert as a whole, including the sweet liquid.

Form and components

Even under the same name, bua loi is served in a range of styles, but it is basically composed of the following elements.

Dumplings (bua loi): Glutinous rice flour is kneaded with water, shaped into spheres, and boiled. The texture is springy, with a smooth surface.
Sweet liquid: Sweetened coconut milk is typical; depending on the shop or region, the type and concentration of sugar, the use of salt, and aromatics vary.
Additional ingredients / fillings: In some cases the dumplings are hollowed and filled with a paste. Black sesame paste (sesame toasted and combined with sugar) is sometimes used.
Served hot or cold: It may be served warm, or served cold with added ice (shaved ice or ice cubes).

In the bua loi shown in the image, a white, milk-like liquid contains multiple dumplings and ice (a mound of crushed ice in the center). The dumplings appear a pale gray-green, with a translucent outer layer. This can be regarded as one cold-served style commonly seen at street stalls and dessert shops.

General characteristics of preparation and service

Preparing the dumplings

The dumplings are often made by rolling small portions of dough and boiling them, with floating to the surface used as a common indicator of doneness. After boiling, they may be transferred to cold water to remove surface slipperiness and adjust the texture. When filled, an additional wrapping step is required, and differences among shops appear in the thickness of the wrapper and the mouthfeel.

Sweet liquid and cold service

While sweet coconut milk is widely known as the base, some versions emphasize a “milky” character with flavoring closer to dairy products or sweetened condensed milk. When served cold, the ice softens the perceived sweetness and functions as a dessert suited to consumption in hot conditions. The ice is not only a cooling agent but also an element that encourages an almost drink-like way of eating (a sensation of “drinking” the liquid).

Position within Thai dessert culture

Many Thai desserts (khanom) are based on rice, coconut, and sugar, often combined with fragrant-rice-derived flours, legumes, fruits, sesame, and other ingredients. Among these, bua loi is characterized by a relatively simple preparation process and by its suitability for immediate service at places such as street stalls. Because it works both hot and cold and allows considerable freedom in ingredients and coloring, it is widely распространено from urban dessert shops to everyday street vendors.

Observations on this item (example served at Cheng Sim Ei Giant Swing)

Place of service	th Bangkok (Cheng Sim Ei Giant Swing)
Served hot/cold	Cold (ice is added)
Liquid component	White, milk-like liquid (it appears to be coconut milk or a dairy-like sweet liquid, but the ingredients are not asserted definitively)
Dumplings	Multiple pieces. The outer layer appears relatively thin, and it may be a type with filling inside (this cannot be confirmed from the image alone)

How to eat and cautions

Cold bua loi is often consumed by drinking the liquid while eating the dumplings. The dumplings are quite chewy, and depending on their size, care may be needed when swallowing. In addition, because it may contain coconut milk or dairy components, checking the ingredients is advisable for those with allergies or related concerns.