Can Tho purple sticky rice cake is one of the famous specialties of the Southwest region, associated with the unique culinary culture of the alluvial land. Sticky rice cake is made from sticky rice, dyed naturally purple from purple leaves and filled with green beans and rich fatty meat. With its eye-catching color and delicious flavor, purple sticky rice cake is not only a traditional dish during holidays and Tet but also a symbol of the flavor of the homeland, always recalling familiar memories.

Main Ingredients of Banh Tet La Cam
Banh tet la cam is made from familiar traditional ingredients of the West, but thanks to meticulous preparation, banh tet la cam has its own unique flavor.
Sticky Rice – Soft Cake Crust
Sticky rice is the main ingredient to make the cake crust. Sticky rice is soaked in purple leaf water, creating a natural and special purple color. After being steamed, the sticky rice has a soft, sticky texture, blending with the cake filling to create a unique flavor.
Purple Leaves – Natural Color
Purple leaves are used to dye the cake purple. The cooked purple leaf water is mixed with sticky rice, creating a beautiful and attractive purple color. Purple leaves not only beautify the cake but also contribute to its unique flavor.
Green Bean and Fat Meat Filling
The filling of purple sticky rice cake is usually a combination of green beans and fatty meat. The green beans are cooked, mashed and then wrapped around the fatty meat. The fatty meat combined with the rich green beans creates a rich and attractive filling.
Banana Leaves – Rustic Flavor
Banh tet la cam is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Banana leaves not only help protect the cake during the steaming process but also add a rustic aroma, increasing the appeal of the dish.
How to Make Banh Tet La Cam Can Tho
Although banh tet is a traditional dish, you can also try making it at home with the simple steps below.
Materials Needed
- Glutinous rice: 1kg
- Purple leaves: 1 bunch
- Green beans: 300g
- Pork belly: 300g
- Banana leaves: 15-20 leaves
- Shallots, salt, pepper, sugar
Steps to Take
Step 1: Cook purple leaf water
Wash purple leaves, boil with water until the water turns deep purple. Filter out the leaves and keep the water.
Step 2: Soak and cook sticky rice
Soak sticky rice in purple leaf water for about 6-8 hours until the rice absorbs the color. Then steam the rice until it is soft and cooked.
Step 3: Prepare the green bean and fatty meat filling
Soak mung beans in water for about 2-3 hours, then steam and mash. Cut pork belly into small pieces, season with salt, pepper and shallots, then stir-fry.
Step 4: Wrap the cake
Spread out the banana leaf, place a layer of purple sticky rice on top, then put the mung bean and meat filling in the middle. Cover with another layer of sticky rice on top. Roll up the banana leaf and tie it tightly with string.
Step 5: Steam the cake
Steam the banh tet in a pot for about 6-8 hours until the cake is cooked evenly. The cake will have a beautiful purple color and rich filling.
Step 6: Enjoy
Banh tet la cam is cut into round slices and eaten with pickles or fish sauce to enhance the flavor.
Banh Tet La Cam – Western Specialty
Can Tho purple sticky rice cake is a traditional dish that demonstrates the culinary ingenuity and sophistication of the people of the West. From the selection of ingredients to the process of wrapping and steaming the cake, each step shows the meticulousness and dedication of the maker. The purple color of purple sticky rice leaves, the fatty flavor of shrimp and meat filling, and the chewy sticky rice layer have created a specialty cake with a strong hometown flavor.
Purple sticky rice cake
Can Tho Banh Tet La Cam is not only a delicious dish but also a symbol of the culinary culture of the Western region. With its eye-catching colors and unique flavors, Banh Tet La Cam has become a meaningful gift, bringing the flavor of the homeland to friends and relatives during holidays and Tet. If you have the opportunity, enjoy this specialty cake to fully experience the culinary quintessence of the Southwest region.