WUN (วุ้น)

[Kanga Japan]

Can WUN (วุ้น) mean all of the following:

1. Jelly (as in the flavoured dessert)

2. Gelatin

3, Gelatinous

Thanks for your help.

[AyG]

According to the RID WUN is a noun, so it can't mean gelatinous (adjective).

Western jelly is วุ้นฝรั่ง (WUN FARANG) or เยลลี่ (YEL LI). WUN usually refers to desserts thickened with an extract of aquatic pond weed (again RID). I'm guessing this means agar. I'm not sure if WUN can be used to refer to gelatin. There is, however, the word เจลาติน (CHE LA TIN) which is used to refer to gelatin.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you very much for that information. I appreciate it.

Perhaps WUN can be described as a thickening agent. I was thinking of including it to show the connection with something like YAM WUN SEN.

[AyG]

Time to translate the full RID definition:

น. ของกินชนิดหนึ่ง ทำจากสาหร่ายทะเลเป็นต้น เมื่อนํามาต้มแล้ว
Noun. One type of foodstuff, made, for example, out of seaweed/algae. When it has been boiled

ทิ้งไว้ให้เย็นจะแข็งตัว มีลักษณะค่อนข้างใสและนุ่ม ใช้ทําเป็นของ
and left to cool it will set it will characteristically be rather clear and soft. It's used to make

หวานบางอย่าง เช่นวุ้นกะทิ วุ้นนํ้าเชื่อม, เรียกสิ่งที่มีลักษณะคล้ายคลึง
various types of sweet things. E.g. WUN KATHI (coconut milk), WUN NAM CHUEN (syrup). We call [use this word for] things which have similar characteristics

เช่นนั้น เช่น เคี่ยวหนังหมูจนเปื่อยเป็นวุ้น.
such as, for example, pork skin simmered until tender is [a type of] "WUN".

The key characteristics appear to be boiled, cooled, translucent, soft. This fits WUN SEN as well as the other dishes.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you for that detailed explanation.

I think I know what WUN is now. It is agar (or agar-agar), otherwise known as 'kanten' in Japanese.

[AyG]

Not really. Agar is probably the quintessential WUN. However, other substances which have similar characteristics (such as WUN SEN, made from mung bean flour) and the mentioned boiled pork skin are also considered WUN.

It's not a single ingredient, more something possessing a set of characteristics.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you for all your help on this.

I understand now that WUN is basically a gelling agent, which comes in various forms. I will include that explanation.

Apparently agar powder is commonly referred to in Thai as WUN PONG (วุ้นผง),