Chè trôi nước ngũ sắc (five-coloured floating rice-ball pudding) is a dessert made of glutinous rice filled with mung bean paste bathed in a sweet liquid made of water, sugar, and grated ginger root. —VNS Photo Ngọc Diệp Sweet and savoury cake recipes in southern Việt Nam have evolved over decades to conform to changing lifestyles. Now, in a bid to build their brands and earn more income, cake artisans plan to sell their goods abroad. Ngọc Diệp reports. Visiting Cần Thơ City during the recent Southern Traditional Cake Festival, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number, size, flavours and shapes of the region’s sweet and savoury cakes. For many decades, artisans in the southern region have preserved the regional art of cake-making, producing an astounding 400 varieties of 150 different kinds of … [Read more...] about Southern cakes a part of tradition
Salt dough handprints
A tasty Vietnamese pasty
Viet Nam News By Hồ Hoàng Though not as well known as some of Việt Nam’s other culinary delights, bánh gối (pillow cake) is a uniquely Vietnamese treat that everyone should try once. The pillow cake has cousins around the world, like Poland’s pierogi, Russia’s pelmeni and Ukraine’s vareniki. But what makes bánh gối stand out from its famous relatives? First, let’s talk about the crust, an important part of every pastry. The making of Vietnamese pillow cake takes times, patience and passion with distinctive meticulous processes. With a sufficient amount of wheat flour, warm water, salt, cooking oil, turmeric powder, you can … [Read more...] about A tasty Vietnamese pasty
Unmissable street food in Hanoi this winter
Banh troi tau (warm Chinese floating cake) features a sugar sauce and a hint of ginger. It is a well known dish for local people through many generations. Visitors can tour around Hang Giay, Quan Thanh and Bach Mai Streets to enjoy specific delicious delicacies. Bowls of pork chop (Chao suon) are popular among young people throughout Hanoi. The dish can be enjoyed with quay (bread sticks) and ruoc (salted shredded meat). The dish is famous in Dong Xuan market, Hang Bo and Doi Can Streets. Banh Gio (rice dough dumpling with minced pork and mushrooms inside) is an attractive dish to have during the winter months. The cake can be eaten with cucumber and Cha Com (Vietnamese rice sausage), making them even more delicious. Nem Chua Ran (fried pork) is a favourite dish among food lovers. Chan Ga Nuong (grilled chicken feet) is a speciality of the winter months in Hanoi. Visitors should not miss out on tasting Banh Goi (rice doughnuts), dipped in sweet-and-sour sauces during the cold … [Read more...] about Unmissable street food in Hanoi this winter
Many moons ago, mooncakes were a dark secret – VnExpress International
Back to English Comments Culture & Arts - September 23, 2018 | 11:16 am GMT+7 One experienced mooncake-maker in Hanoi has seen the art and craft wax and wane, and do it again.Dung’s hands move with practiced ease.He has been doing this for 50 years and the dough is like putty in his hands. After some kneading he cuts the dough into smaller pieces and uses the mold to shape them. A thin layer of white flour flies into the air every time he taps one piece of dough out of the wooden mold.Flour is everywhere. On the table. On his apron. On his sweaty, chef’s hat. And from the cloud of dough dust, a moon emerges. A white, sticky rice mooncake is ready to be baked and keep its tryst with the fullest, biggest moon of the year – the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, celebrated as the “Mid-Autumn Festival.”About 20 people are busy in the “workshop,” mixing fillings, shaping dough and baking new batches of cakes. They are focused and … [Read more...] about Many moons ago, mooncakes were a dark secret – VnExpress International
Are moon festivals the same everywhere in Asia?
Japan Japan has two moon festivals every year, following lunar calendar. Zyuyoga is associated with the traditional customs of "Otsukimi" (meaning watching the moon on the full moon day in autumn). For the people in the land of the rising sun, the festival is the time for them to honor the moon in the fall, the only time the moon is at its fullest. In the Otsukimi festival, the Japanese often make Dango, a type of rice dumplings (mochiko). It is quite similar to mochi and is served with tea. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the Japanese personally hand mix flour with water, pound it to create that structure-builder before proceeds to baking. Dango cake is presented with a Susuki grass vase during moon festivals. Also known as tail flower, susuki is a perennial tall grass that blossoms in the autumn. The moon watching ritual cannot be done without dango cake. Dango cake and susuki grass. Photo courtesy of Katorisi on Wikipedia The legend of Dango cake is traditionally … [Read more...] about Are moon festivals the same everywhere in Asia?