Cakes

In Vietnam, there is a proverb that is "My husband and I make banh da banh chung", that simile shows that banh chung and banh da are both rustic dishes, symbolizing a genuine and close relationship. durable with time. Especially, castor cake is a nostalgic dish that sticks with the hearts of people far from home. It warms not only the chilly weather, but also the soul.

Banh Dieu is a dish that can be found in any country market across Vietnam. Technically, banh chung is made from plain rice flour, which can be sweet or savory. Although it is a popular dish in both the South and the North of Vietnam, each region has its own version with a unique but equally delicious taste.

In southern Vietnam, banh chung has a soft, viscous texture and is shaped like a block and is usually a pastry. But the cake commonly found in the North of Vietnam, particularly in Hanoi, is a savory cake that can be eaten hot or cold. Hanoi cake does not have pandan leaf extract or any other natural colorants, so the cakes here are always milky white and soft and flexible. Hanoi has many different types of cake, but the most common ones are peanut cake, hot cake and mannequin cake.

Peanut cake is a kind of cake symbolizing the rustic cuisine of not only Hanoi but also Northern Vietnam. This is the forerunner of all versions of the cake, which comes in the form of a thick paste with peanut bits that add a rich flavor and crunch to the cake. In the past, bakers were very picky about the preparation of dough. Flour made from delicious plain rice, soaked for 10 hours, in some places soaked for up to three days until the rice was dissolved into powder, then soaked the dough with clear lime water or ash water. Nowadays, the baking steps are also shortened. much. People use pre-ground rice flour soaked with water and lime water for about half an hour and then grind it into a water powder. When cooking cakes, people put finely ground rice flour into the pot and stir well so that the flour does not clump and burn. An ivory-white, smooth, jelly-like cake with a few peanuts added to it looks really delicious.

Peanut cake is often dipped with soy sauce, a special dipping sauce made from fermented soybeans. A piece of cake that is both flexible and crispy mixed with a rich and warm cork sauce makes this rustic cake attractive. Peanut cakes are often sold by street vendors on the streets of Hanoi.

Contrary to peanut cake, hot cake is cooked more loosely and is often eaten with ground meat, chopped wood ear mushrooms and coriander. Hot cakes are eaten with fish sauce seasoned with sweet and salty taste. Fried red onion is also added to make it more fragrant and crispy. True to its name, this cake must be eaten hot. Cake flour is also made from rice flour and stirs well on the stove. Hot cakes are not poured into pieces but left in the pot. When eating, we will scoop the dough into a bowl, sprinkle with meat, sauteed wood ear mushrooms with vegetables, green onions and sprinkle fish sauce on top. The oldest and famous hot cake shop in Hanoi is located on Le Ngoc Han street with an age of nearly 3 years. This bakery is known for having the most authentic and delicious hot cakes in the city. A bowl of hot, rich, fragrant fried onions always warms the hearts of Ha Thanh people on cold winter afternoons.

Contrary to peanut cake and hot cake, mannequin cake is less popular and is often eaten in summer because of its sweet taste. The mannequin cake is not as stocky as the peanut cake, nor is it as smooth as the hot one. Mannequin cake is soft, simply a piece of pure flour with the smell of rice, lime juice, and kitchen smoke. A tray of cakes with no added peanuts, no matter where they are eaten, they will be rolled into long sticks. The soul of the mannequin cake is the broth. The mannequin cake made from roasted and ground sesame seeds should taste just enough sweetness, light, bold, rich and very fragrant of roasted white sesame and peanuts. The mannequin juice is poured over the molded cakes and the crispy and sweet blanched bean sprouts create an extremely cool taste to dispel the summer heat.

If you have the opportunity to visit Hanoi and want to learn about the rustic culinary culture of Ha Thanh, try the peanut cake or the mannequin cake to better understand the simple but delicate dish of the old Thang Long citadel.