Banh chung has long been an indispensable traditional dish of Vietnamese people. Banh chung has a lot of different variations, creating a unique flavor and image.
1. Banh chung:
Thai Muong Chanh specialty in Mai Son district, Son La province. The process of making banh chung is similar to other banh chung but the main ingredient that makes up its color and flavor is black sesame. Black sesame is dried and burned into charcoal, then finely ground into flour and then mixed with glutinous rice.
The tradition of the Thai people recruiting daughters in the past was also based on the girl’s talent for cake wrapping. They believe that girls have to know how to pack beautiful banh chung, when peeled out, it must be glossy, flexible and when enjoying it, it has enough flavors to be a good daughter, good wife and gentle wife.
2. Banh chung with five colors:
Symbolizes the element of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Red made from Gac, green of galangal leaves, white of glutinous rice, yellow of turmeric, and charcoal purple of glutinous rice. Banh chung is quite eye-catching with its unique color. The flavor of the cake is also quite rich, separate from the remaining banh chung.
3. Gac cake
This is a traditional cake of Tranh Khuc village, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi. The crust of the cake is glutinous rice mixed with gac fruit to have a bright red color. When wrapping the cake, dong leaves will be wrapped with a dark green face turned out instead of turning inside like the remaining banh chung. The red color of the cake symbolizes good luck in the new year.
The sweetness of Gac combines perfectly with the sweetness of mung bean with the fatty aroma of pork and the pungent spicy of ground pepper to create an unforgettable dish in the tray of Tet holiday
4. Vegetarian banh chung:
Vegetarian banh chung is often eaten on the 1st, pagoda, … for Buddha’s followers. The cake is also quite popular with those who like to be vegetarian, or simply want to try the meatless banh chung. Pork is replaced with shiitake mushrooms, creating a fruity pancake. In particular, because no pork is used, vegetarian banh chung can be preserved for longer than traditional meat banh chung.
5. Cam sticky rice cake:
Glutinous rice glutinous rice is used to make wine and yogurt, but few people know that it can be used to make banh chung. Cam banh sticky rice is one of the specialties of Northwest Vietnam.
The pork in the filling is black pork raised in the forest,
Instead of using captive pork like in traditional green banh chung.
6. Banh chung
This young rice’s gift is quite popular in Vietnamese cuisine
So it’s no surprise that rice is used to make banh chung.
Banh chung is a dark green color, mingled with the aroma of nuggets, making it an unforgettable dish for Tet.