Bánh tráng mè (roasted black sesame rice paper)

It was one of those days in Vietnam where I just wanted to walk and explore… there was nothing on the agenda (lucky me) and the weather was nice and cool and finally not raining. Here I am in Danang, a coastal city in the heart of Central Vietnam.

It was reasonably early in the morning, yet the streets were already bustling – this is what I love about Vietnam, and it is always good to get up and grab some street food for breakfast because those particular stalls only open for a few hours and will either close for the remainder of the day or change to sell another specific dish in the evening.

Crossing the streets in Vietnam is never pleasant, you must look both ways and just keep steadily walking along, even though the traffic in Danang is fairly passive, the same unspoken road rules apply between driver and pedestrian, go but go with steady caution.

I walked down the main road and turned down a picturesque street, taking photos of laundry hanging outside people’s houses, I know it’s weird, but I am fascinated by the colours, textures, and simple elements of everyday life in Vietnam. I stopped to see a few racks of rice paper sheets drying in the sun, as I walked closer, I saw a mini handmade production of bánh tráng mè in the process. I stopped to watch for a good 30 minutes and spoke to the daughter of the owner, who spoke perfect English beautifully.

What is bánh tráng mè

Bánh tráng mè was once a simple snack that was portable, easy to keep, and provided fast and efficient sustenance for labourers and workers. It then became a staple in the everyday diet, as an accompaniment to dishes and even a perfect pairing with beer.

The deliciousness ( yes this is a word) is prevalent in its simplicity. A batter of rice flour and water is mixed with roasted black sesame seeds, with just a touch of sugar.  It is then thinly ladled onto cast iron pans that are heated by an open charcoal fire. When the batter is heated through, it is carefully taken off with a stick and placed flat on a large wooden frame to dry out in the sun.

When the rice paper is completely dry, it is taken off, stacked, and packaged, ready to be dispatched to the markets and restaurants. I was fascinated by how methodical and quick this little home factory made the bánh tráng mè, years of practice resulted in a beautifully timed choreography.

The last process of Bánh tráng mè lies with the end consumer. It is heated over coals or on a grill until it puffs up and is slightly golden, then served on its own, with a variety of sauces, soup, or noodles.

Tasty bánh tráng mè

The owners daughter said they produce about 500 of Bánh tráng mè a day and they are one of the few places that make it by hand in Danang. The method has gone to mass manufacturing to provide consistency and quantity for the increasing number of restaurants that are constantly popping up in Vietnam.

“Here, try one” I took the bánh tráng mè ever so gratefully and took my first crunchy bite, maybe it was because I had seen them made in front of me or my heart was full from the genuine conversation exchange, it was the best bánh tráng mè I had tasted.

We said our goodbyes and I turned to walk down the street, they continued to make that bánh tráng mè, like they have done for the past 20 years.

Laying out the recently steamed bánh tráng mè

Bánh tráng mè drying

Beyond Banh Mi

The image of a medium-sized baguette stuffed with pate, pork, pickled vegetables, and herbs springs to mind when one recalls the top dishes to eat in Vietnam. Stretching from the North to the South of Vietnam, Banh Mi is found on every street corner in any variation you can think of.

However, the image of this well-known sandwich is not entirely incorrect relating to the name, the word bánh mì (or Banh My further in the north), can be translated to ‘wheat bread’. This crispy lightly browned oval-shaped loaf with a pillowy white interior is an integral part of the Vietnamese diet, yet this was not the case before the mid-1800s.

How bread became a staple in the Vietnamese Diet.

The French colonisation that began in the mid-17th century and expanded over the next 6 decades, coloured the pre-existing culture of Vietnam, initially forcefully, yet it has now become intertwined into the charm and vibrance the country emits through its architecture, fashion, religion, language a,nd most importantly, food.

During the vast amount of time that the French were in Vietnam up until the Geneva Accord in 1954, they brought a variety of cooking techniques and ingredients that changed the Vietnamese culinary landscape. Coffee, French-style pastries, pate, mayonnaise, cold cuts, and bread were among some of the food products that were consumed every day in Vietnam, initially by the more elite locals and eventually distributed into the everyday life of all Vietnamese.

What Makes Banh Mi so unique?

Bread was assimilated into the Vietnamese diet quite rapidly due to the accessibility of low-cost ingredients used to produce it. The French baguette that once was, slowly morphed into a Vietnamese baguette. The more traditional slower method of fermenting dough naturally was hastened with the use of yeast, reducing preparation time, and changing the structure of the bread resulting in a thin golden crispy crust enveloping a fluffy interior.
This is the Banh Mi as we know it today and has become an integral part of many of Vietnam’s dishes.

BO KHO

A dish originating in the south of Vietnam, Bò kho, directly translated to ‘beef stew’ is a mixture of warm spices, vegetables, tomatoes, and beef that has a unique taste that slightly varies in different regions around the country.  The word Kho describes the braising technique used to make this dish which is traditionally made in a clay pot.

The base protein of Bo Kho is selected prime cuts of beef such as brisket and shank, which play a crucial role in the dish’s overall flavour and texture. Through the gradual breakdown of connective tissues, these beef cuts contribute to a tender and ‘pull-apart’ texture when cooked.

Bo Kho holds strong similarities to the French dish Pot-au-feu, yet the warm spices of cinnamon and cloves combined with ginger, lemongrass, and nuoc mam make it a unique Southeast Asian dish. Onions, carrots, and tomatoes are included in the dish imparting a slight sweetness. Bo Kho can be served with rice noodles, yet it is commonly eaten with a Banh Mi or two on the side, topped with fresh crisp herbs, beansprouts, and of course, some extra chilli.  

BO KHO. Credit @www.cooking-therapy.com

CA RI GA

Chicken curry is a dish that is common in many countries around the world, yet each variation is different depending on the method, ingredients used, and the historical influences of a dish.

Ca Ri Ga in Vietnam is no exception, reflecting southern Indian flavours of turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cumin, and a hint of chilli. The Tamil culture had a strong impact on Vietnamese food and culture during the colonial period when the French colonies of Pondicherry immigrated to the south of Vietnam. During this time, they established a variety of trade businesses and also contributed to the finance and education sector. Despite the diminished presence of the Tamils over time, the influence is still found in dishes like Ca Ri Ga.

The bone-in chicken is marinated with dry spices and simmered in a coconut-based sauce, alongside lemongrass, sugar, and fish sauce. Sweet root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes are added for texture, and most importantly, Ca Ri Ga is served with Banh Mi, an essential element to soak up every bit of the thick, sweet, and savoury sauce.

Banh Mi Chao

BANH MI CHAO

A sizzling plate of fried eggs, luncheon meat, pate, mayonnaise, pickled daikon, and carrot is not complete without a side of Banh Mi.

This simple and delicious plate of eggs, herbs and meat is a popular breakfast dish, sometimes known as Banh Mi Op La. Undoubtedly another dish influenced by the French quite possibly from ‘oeufs au plat’, meaning sunny-side-up eggs.

It is both the experience and the ingredients in Banh Mi Chao that makes it so unique. When your made-to-order breakfast arrives at the table, it anticipates a good squirt of soy sauce and chilli sauce before dunking a crusty banh mi to soak up the rich fatty goodness.

From a French crusty baguette import to a softer, airy Vietnamese baguette, Banh Mi is as much of a staple to the Vietnamese diet as rice and noodles. Not only as an accompaniment to dishes but as a meal (banh mi sandwich) or a sweet treat (banh mi with condensed milk), Banh Mi is a result of a small part of the evolution of Vietnam’s culinary history.

Bánh Bột Chiên – A Savoury Vietnamese Street Food Delight

Southern Vietnam is home to the largest city in the country, Ho Chi Minh City.

It is the culinary hub for modern restaurants, an abundance of cafes for any budget, home to Japan Town, and an incredible reference point for showcasing the incredibly vast and delicious dishes that are found around the entire country.

Popular street food dishes found in southern Vietnam are Bánh khọt (small rice batter pancake), chả giò (fried spring rolls), Cơm tấm (broken rice with grilled pork and vegetables), and Hủ tiếu Nam Vang (Pork broth noodle soup with seafood and garlic). There is a dish that I stumbled upon and is lesser known to many but definitely deserves a mention -  Bánh Bột Chiên.

Bánh Bột Chiên is an authentic street food that is sold at night by vendors dotted around Ho Chi Minh City.  It is a deliciously simple dish that is bursting with flavour that is extremely satisfying and filling.

What is Bánh Bột Chiên?

Bánh Bột Chiên is a dish consisting of bite-size cubes of rice flour that is shallow fried in a good amount of oil until it results in a crispy exterior and a soft chewy interior. The foundation of this street food is made from rice flour, tapioca and water which, is sometimes made from scratch, but can also be bought in a block from the market.

As well as the delightful crispy rice cakes, eggs are also scrambled into the dish, and it is then topped with fresh green papaya and spring onions. It is served with a chilli sauce and a good portion of dark sauce that is a balance of umami (fish sauce), salty (soy sauce), sweet (sugar), and a little addition of acidity (vinegar).

Historical Origins of Bánh Bột Chiên

The exact who and when this dish was developed is unknown but it is definitely influenced by both French and Chinese cuisine. The Rice flour that is used in Bánh Bột Chiên was introduced to Vietnam in the late 19th or early 20th Century during the French colonial period. Despite the abundant fields of rice that were and is still grown in Vietnam, rice flour was an ingredient that was not commonly used in Vietnamese cuisine yet was a readily used product in French cooking and baking.
Another significant influence on Banh Bot Chien is Chinese cuisine. The frying of the rice cakes is a Chinese technique as well as the use of soy sauce in the dish. It to evokes a similarity Nian Gao (年糕), that is a symbol of good luck and prosperity that is prepared for the Lunar New Year. This particular rice cake is made from sticky rice and is made in both sweet and savoury versions.

Bánh Bột Chiên has evolved over the years with vendors in different regions of Vietnam, adding their own spin to the dish by incorporating a variety of ingredients like quails eggs, shrimp, meat, radish to the batter, and even cheese. It is quite reminiscent of the Singaporean carrot cake (chai tow kway) which has Teochew origins.

Bột Chiên51

How to Make Bánh Bột Chiên

It is not a hard dish to make and can be cooked quickly for breakfast or dinner. The rice cakes are cut and fried, then scrambled eggs are added to the mix. You are welcome to throw in some bacon or shrimp as a little addition, then top with shredded daikon, spring onions or pickles.
Here is a great recipe by Savoury Sweet Spoon you can try.

Where to try Bánh Bột Chiên in Ho Chi Minh City

Bột chiên Bà Tư
107 Đ. Nguyễn Văn Thủ, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
11am-6pm
Serving a less crispy version of Bánh Bột Chiên and is plated more omelette style where the rice cake is bound with the egg. It is served with a quick daikon & carrot pickle as well as fresh grated green papaya. Bánh Bột chiên Khoai Môn is also available here.
CHECK THE MAP

Bột Chiên 51
51 Nguyễn Văn Lạc, Phường 21, Bình Thạnh, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
This stall is a bit of a neighbourhood institution. The rice cake cubes are smaller than other stalls and the uncle cooks the dish with such grace and practice! You can order the dish with 1 or 2 eggs.
Open from 12pm-12am
CHECK THE MAP

Bột Chiên Đạt Thành
51 Nguyễn Văn Lạc, Phường 21, Bình Thạnh, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Open from 2pm-10pm
This place specialises in Bánh Bột Chiên but also does a Bánh Bột chiên Khoai Môn which is the taro cake version.
CHECK THE MAP

There are many more places that serve this delicious street food in Ho Chi Minh City. It is full of calories and protein and there was a lot more eating of other dishes to be done while I was there. I do recommend you try it at least once while you are in this wonderful and crazy city.

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Cao Lầu - A Hoi An Specialty

A Little History of Hoi An….

A short trip from Danang City, past the long stretches of empty land that promises a giant resort or two one day, lies a magical town called Hoi An.
Hoi An’s first inhabitants known as Sa Huynh were Southeast Asia’s first traders that prospered around 2000 years ago and were the beginning influences on culture in Central Vietnam.

The Cham people preceded the Sa Huynh, and were significant for the development of Southeast Asia, establishing many trade routes through Eastern Asia and the Indian ocean. The decline of the Cham people occurred in the 1830s when Emperor Ming Mang annexed the territories.

Iconic yellow buildings of Hoi An

Street Vendor, Hoi An

Hoi An, previously known as Fai foo, sits in the Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The Old Town of Hoi An was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1999, with over 1000 wooden framed buildings built in hues of yellows and blues, it is no wonder why it is visited by millions of tourists each year. I first ventured to Hoi An in 2013 and then again, in 2022. The number of tourists in the evening was unfathomable and made me shake my head at what tourism can do to a place, however, despite the generic street stall vendors and souvenir shops everywhere you look, there is always a possibility of finding pockets of goodness – which I implore you to do.

With a population of around 120,000 people, this little town reflects a kaleidoscope of cultures that have inhabited it, notably between the 15th-19th Centuries when it was a booming trading port. This is evident through significant landmarks found around Hoi An Town - the most famous being the Japanese Bridge (Cau Pagoda/ Chùa Cầu ) which was completed in the late 1500s and built as a symbol of peace connecting the Chinese and Japanese communities.

What is Cao Lầu

Cau Lao is a dish that is tied to the town of Hoi An, there is no evidence on who exactly invented the dish, yet it was developed around the time both the Chinese and Japanese communities lived there.

Cao Lau Noodles and croutons ‘crispy bits’

Vietnamese Greens

What Makes Cao Lầu so Unique - Dish Anatomy

Noodles

The noodles within Cau Lao are the main event and are made by only one family, extending back four generations. The recipe is a guarded secret, and the family has two branches that supply all the restaurants and markets. Cao Lau noodles are bouncy in texture and chew, like Japanese udon, yet they are coloured slightly yellow and taste similar to Chinese alkaline noodles.

The defining elements of these noodles that make them so unique are the water, the rice, and the cooking process. The water once used for the noodles came from the Ba Le well, as it contained alum which is known to have medicinal properties. Historically, the ash of the burnt wood from the Cham islands was then added to water, giving the noodles their texture and bounce. Today, the water used is from a different source yet contains similar properties to Ba Le, and the wood is sourced within the town.

Rice is boiled in ash-enriched water and pounded until a dough is formed. It is then steamed, threaded through a pasta maker resulting in medium-thick noodles, steamed again, and laid out to cool.

To preserve the noodles that won’t be sold fresh, they are laid on large shallow bamboo baskets to dry in the sun next to the flat square ‘crispy bits’ that garnish the dish, containing the same ingredients as the noodles.

Crispy Bits

To complement the bouncy noodles, the dish is topped with flat square croutons that are made from the same dough used to make the noodles. You are in for a treat if the vendor throws in some crispy pork rind as well.

Protein - Pork

Char Siu Pork is Cantonese-style barbeque pork originating in China’s southern coastal province, Guangdong. Char Siu in Hoi An uses a shoulder or loin cut that is marinated garlic, Chinese 5 spices, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. It is then braised instead of roasted until tender.

Broth/Sauce

The pork broth is more of a sauce that is a reduction of the marinade.

Greens and Other Bits

Each Cao Lau will be served with a plate of varied greens containing bean sprouts, perilla, rice paddy herb, and mint. As flavourful as it is already, a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of chilli can be added for an extra bite and kick.  

This dish is a little taste of history, and you definitely try it at least once when you visit Hoi An as it is difficult to find it outside of the town.
Each Cau Lau varies slightly, so try a few if your stomach has space.

Cao Lau and Herbs

What is Bánh Căn?

Bánh Căn is a unique dish not to be confused with the noodle dish, Bánh Cănh (see the ‘h’ at the end of the ‘can’ makes all the difference). To be honest, I had never seen this dish before despite travelling to Vietnam in 2012 and 2018. It is a wonderfully theatrical dish that is expertly made with precision, skill and speed. Bánh Căn is originally of the Cham minority people in the Ninh Thuan Province.

Nha Trang, Dalat and Phan Rang have their own versions of this dish, however the foundation of it is made out of cooked rice that is blended and sun-dried rice flour is added to create a crispy, yet fluffy omelette-type cake. There are a few cities that make Bánh Căn, differing in size, cooking technique, ingredients used, and each vendor will put their own signature spin on it.

In Saigon, you will find a similar dish known as Bánh khọt, this version is eaten with different sauces, ingredients and the base is made with fried rice flour, turmeric and coconut. Bánh khọt is either cooked in a cast iron dish and not necessarily over charcoal or fried.

How is Bánh Căn made?

Bánh căn is a unique dish that requires a very specific cooking mold and these vary in size. It is essentially a large terracotta plate made by Cham potters with several circles cut out of the inside. These holes are filled with small terracotta dishes that all have little hat type lids with handles that fit on top. The entire plate sits above red-hot burning coals to impart the perfect charcoal flavour.

The rice flour batter is poured into each mold until it curls up around the sides and starts to bubble, the toppings are then added whether it be a simple quail egg, minced meat or seafood. The lids are placed on top of the the inserts until the batter and toppings are cooked through.

Dalat Bánh Căn

Dalat city sits 1500 metres above sea level within the Southern Central highlands. A city of contrasting architecture, beautiful landscape, it is home to the most beautiful produce in Vietnam that grows all year round. The weather is much cooler in Dalat, and this is a reflection of the dishes that are found in and around the city, and Dalat Bánh căn is no exception. The steaming hot rice cakes are piled on top of each other and look like a mini burger. The simpler versions of Dalat Bánh Căn contain a quail egg and served with a dipping sauce that could easily be mistaken as a soup. The dipping sauce is made with fish sauce or fermented shrimp paste, green onions, and can sometimes contain pork meatballs within or on the side. Some places in Dalat serve Bánh Căn with ham and a glass of fresh soy milk to go with it.

Nha Trang Bánh Căn

The Banh Can here is iconic. Following the rice flour base, the toppings are loaded with huge prawns, minced meat, eggs, squid or octopus. The dipping sauce is sweet and savoury with fish sauce, green onions, sugar and is perfect with just a little bit of chilli. The pork meatballs in the dipping sauce are sometimes cooked over charcoal imparting a delightful smoky flavour. Alongside the dipping sauce, shredded green mango is served which you can either throw in your dipping sauce or use to cleanse your palate – anything goes!

Phan Rang Bánh Căn

Pahn Rang is quite close to Nha Trang so there are a lot of similarities between how these two towns serve the dish. Here, the rice – omelette cake things can be served with a variety of fish sauce based dipping sauces that can be sweet, sour or even have peanuts added to them. Green mango is also served with the Phan Rang Banh Can, and sometimes some greens which you can wrap them in.

Bánh Căn is also found in major cities from Danang all the way to Saigon, I would have to say my favourite place to eat them was in Nha Trang, yet every vendor has their own spin on this wonderfully unique Central Vietnam dish. You must try it when you are here – and tell me what you think!!!