Thanh Tri Banh Cuon is a traditional specialty dish of Hanoi, famous for its thin, smooth, pure white, fragrant rice cake layer. Unlike the meat-filled banh cuon popular in many places, Thanh Tri banh cuon is often served with crispy fried onions, sweet and sour fish sauce and cinnamon rolls. With its elegance and simplicity, this banh cuon has become an indispensable part of the capital's cuisine, imbued with traditional flavor.
Main Ingredients of Thanh Tri Banh Cuon
Thanh Tri Banh Cuon is made from simple ingredients, but requires meticulousness in each step to create a thin, smooth layer and unique flavor.
Rice Flour – Main Ingredients
Banh cuon is made from plain rice flour, a delicious type of rice that is ground and mixed with water to form a liquid flour mixture. Rice must be carefully selected so that the cake is smooth, moderately chewy and retains the delicious flavor of the rice.
Fried Onions – Crispy and Fragrant
Fried onions are an indispensable ingredient when enjoying Thanh Tri rice rolls. Purple onions are sliced thinly and fried crispy, creating a characteristic crispy aroma, adding flavor to the cake.
Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce – The Soul of the Dish
Sweet and sour fish sauce is the deciding factor in the flavor of banh cuon. Fish sauce is mixed from delicious fish sauce, sugar, lemon and chili, creating a moderate sweet and sour taste, helping to balance the fatty flavor of fried onions and rice rolls.
How to Make Thanh Tri Rice Rolls at Home
Thanh Tri's banh cuon is relatively simple to make, but requires skill to achieve a thin, smooth and moderately chewy texture.
Ingredients Need to Prepare
- Rice flour: 300g
- Water: 600ml
- Purple onion: 100g
- Cinnamon rolls: 200g
- Fish sauce, sugar, lemon, chili
- Oil
Implementation Steps
Step 1: Prepare cake dough
Mix rice flour with water, stir well until the powder dissolves completely. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes so that it becomes smooth and flexible.
Step 2: Coat the cake
Use a specialized steamer or non-stick pan to coat the cake. Pour a thin layer of dough onto the pot or pan, cover and steam for about 30 seconds until the cake is cooked and smooth. Gently use a bamboo stick to take out the cake and spread it on a plate.
Step 3: Fry the onions
Thinly sliced purple onions, fried crispy in hot oil. The fried onions must be golden, crispy and fragrant to enhance the flavor of the rolls.
Step 4: Mix sweet and sour fish sauce
Mix fish sauce with sugar, lemon, and chili in moderate proportions for a harmonious sweet and sour taste. This is an important factor that helps make banh cuon more delicious.
Step 5: Enjoy
Banh cuon is served on a plate, sprinkled with fried onions, served with cinnamon rolls and sweet and sour fish sauce. This dish can be eaten with raw vegetables depending on preference.
Thanh Tri Banh Cuon – Beauty in Hanoi Cuisine
Thanh Tri Banh Cuon is not simply a dish but also a part of Hanoi culinary culture. This dish has an elegant, gentle and delicate flavor, suitable for the peaceful atmosphere of Hanoi's streets every early morning. With a thin, smooth layer and the delicious flavor of fried onions and sweet and sour fish sauce, Thanh Tri banh cuon has become a traditional dish of the capital.
Thanh Tri rice rolls
Thanh Tri Banh Cuon is a traditional dish of Hanoi, with a simple but sophisticated flavor. With a thin, smooth cake layer, crispy fried onions and sweet and sour fish sauce, this dish has become a symbol of the capital's cuisine. Try making this banh cuon yourself at home to fully experience the typical flavor of an old part of Hanoi cuisine.
