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.

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