Bánh đúc is a Vietnamesebánh (cake). There are two main types of bánh đúc, the white Northern Vietnamese cake and the green Southern version. This cake is also considered a local food of Trat, a small province located at the easternmost tip of Thailand. Bánh đúc is also found in Cambodia.[1]
Northern Vietnamese version
In northern Vietnam, bánh đúc is a cake made from either non-glutinous rice flour or corn flour. It is white in color and has a soft texture and mild flavour. It is typically garnished with savory ingredients such as ground pork, tôm chấy (grilled ground shrimp), fried onions, sesame seeds, salt, peanuts, lime juice, and soy sauce or fish sauce. Although it may be eaten on its own, it may also be served hot, accompanied by steamed meat or mushrooms.
Bánh đúc is available at small stalls and is eaten throughout the day.
Southern Vietnamese version
A plate of southern Vietnamese bánh đúc colored with Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf extract, and topped with sweetened coconut milk and sesame seeds.
In southern Vietnam, bánh đúc is a dessert made from non-glutinous rice flour. It takes the form of gelatinous blocks that are often colored green by the addition of Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf extract. It is cooked by boiling the ingredients and allowing them to cool, solidifying into a jelly-like sheet that is then cut into blocks.
Varieties
Bánh đúc bột gạo - made from (non-glutinous) rice flour
Bánh đúc miền trung - made in the central region of Vietnam
Bánh đúc ngô - made from maize
Bánh đúc nộm - bánh đúc salad
Bánh đúc nóng - hot bánh đúc
Bánh đúc nước dừa - made with coconut milk
Bánh đúc nước cốt dừa - made with coconut juice
Bánh đúc sốt - steaming hot bánh đúc
Bánh đúc xanh - literally "green bánh đúc"; made with Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf extract
Sayings
The Vietnamese people have a saying:
Mấy đời bánh đúc có xương, mấy đời dì ghẻ lại thương con chồng.
The literal meaning is: "bones are never found in bánh đúc, just like a stepmother never loves her husband's own children." This couplet is used to describe something very unlikely to happen.
