Floating cakes
Truc Quynh
Updated : Mon, May 2, 2011,11:38 AM (GMT+0700)
Updated : Mon, May 2, 2011,11:38 AM (GMT+0700)
Though people still disagree about their origin, no one doubts the importance of banh troi and banh chay (sweet rice cakes) to Vietnamese cuisine.
In the north, banh troi and banh chay are immensely popular. Though northerners eat these desserts all year around, they have a special festival for them in lunar March.
The event, called Tet Han Thuc or Tet Banh Troi Banh Chay (Banh troi Banh Chay Festival) is thought by some to originate from China.
Others shake their heads, saying these cakes are quintessential Vietnamese dishes inspired by Vietnam’s founding myth.
According to this myth, Vietnamese are descendants of a dragon and a fairy who gave birth to 100 eggs which later hatched into 100 babies.
Whatever their origin is, banh troi and banh chay share a characteristic of all traditional Vietnamese dishes: simplicity.
They are made of very simple ingredients, namely flour, sugar and cooked green beans.
Though the two cakes are shaped and made in a slightly different way, they go together, especially in the north.
Both use sticky rice flour but have different fillings.
The name of banh troi (literally, floating cake) comes from the way they are cooked.
When those sticky rice balls stuffed with yellow rock sugar are well boiled in a pot, they float to the surface.
It is when they are ready to serve.
But before that, banh troi cakes are often dipped in cool water for some minutes to cool down and firm up before being served on a plate, with crunchy roasted sesame sprinkled on top.
Banh chay is two to three times bigger than banh troi, stuffed with grinded cooked green beans, boiled in the same way, but served differently: with sugared soup.
In the south, this cake/soup is called che troi nuoc and better loved than banh troi.
Southerners prefer to eat banh chay with more watery soup and slices of cooked ginger.
In the north, banh troi and banh chay are immensely popular. Though northerners eat these desserts all year around, they have a special festival for them in lunar March.
The event, called Tet Han Thuc or Tet Banh Troi Banh Chay (Banh troi Banh Chay Festival) is thought by some to originate from China.
Others shake their heads, saying these cakes are quintessential Vietnamese dishes inspired by Vietnam’s founding myth.
According to this myth, Vietnamese are descendants of a dragon and a fairy who gave birth to 100 eggs which later hatched into 100 babies.
Whatever their origin is, banh troi and banh chay share a characteristic of all traditional Vietnamese dishes: simplicity.
They are made of very simple ingredients, namely flour, sugar and cooked green beans.
Though the two cakes are shaped and made in a slightly different way, they go together, especially in the north.
Both use sticky rice flour but have different fillings.
The name of banh troi (literally, floating cake) comes from the way they are cooked.
When those sticky rice balls stuffed with yellow rock sugar are well boiled in a pot, they float to the surface.
It is when they are ready to serve.
But before that, banh troi cakes are often dipped in cool water for some minutes to cool down and firm up before being served on a plate, with crunchy roasted sesame sprinkled on top.
Banh chay is two to three times bigger than banh troi, stuffed with grinded cooked green beans, boiled in the same way, but served differently: with sugared soup.
In the south, this cake/soup is called che troi nuoc and better loved than banh troi.
Southerners prefer to eat banh chay with more watery soup and slices of cooked ginger.
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