Banh Beo Hue
Banh beo is a simple and rustic dish of Hue people. The tiny cake is fragrant with rice flour, the sweetness of burnt shrimp mixed in a bowl of spicy fish sauce makes the eater have to stir when enjoying. Called banh beo, simply because its shape is thin and round like a duck, it can also be a pun on folklore because its price is also foamy. Although simple, banh beo has become a famous specialty…
Banh beo is a simple and rustic dish of Hue people. The tiny cake is fragrant with rice flour, the sweetness of burnt shrimp mixed in a bowl of spicy fish sauce makes the eater have to stir when enjoying. Called banh beo, simply because its shape is thin and round like a duck, it can also be a pun on folklore because its price is also foamy. Although simple, banh beo has become a famous specialty of Hue that everyone who comes to Hue must enjoy.
The main ingredient for making cakes is rice flour. In order for the cake to be flexible, soft and delicious, the baker must choose the type of rice that still smells like new rice. Rice is washed, soaked in water for many hours before grinding. After the rice is ground into a fine powder, the worker mixes it with a little filtered water to make the powder loose but still retain a certain plasticity.
After preparing the dough, the baker arranges the small cups by fist into a steaming tray, makes the dough into each cup and steams it. In order for the cake not to stick to the side of the cup when it is cooked, the craftsman often apply a layer of oil on the side of the cup before pouring the dough into it. In order for the cake to be cooked evenly and have a milky white color, during the steaming process, the fire must be very large, if the fire is low, the water is not boiling enough, the cake will be mushy, not fully cooked.
An important ingredient that adds beauty and deliciousness to banh beo is the brick stamens made from burnt shrimp. Making burnt shrimp is quite simple but takes a lot of time. The purchased shrimp are cleaned, boiled, peeled, and the meat is pounded finely. Heat a pan on the stove, add in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is smooth and dry.
The best piece of banh beo is thanks to the taste of burnt shrimp and a special dipping sauce. This sauce is made from fish sauce, mixed with fat, sugar, garlic and chili. The finished dipping sauce must not be salty, nor should it be pale, it must be a little sweet and fragrant enough to wake up sensitive souls.
Read More: Mussel Rice – Com Hen Hue
Coming to the dreamy land of Hue, you can enjoy Hue beo cake everywhere, but the most interesting thing is still sitting in small shops bearing the “quality” of Hue, leisurely enjoying each piece of cake and listening to smooth chant. Hue people say, if you eat banh beo here and eat quickly, you will never see all the deliciousness and sweetness of this cake. On the contrary, eating Hue banh beo is to eat slowly, chew thoroughly, then you will feel all the quintessence of the familiar gift of Hue.
How to make Banh Beo
Banh beo cup has a fairly simple way of making, with easy-to-find ingredients such as rice flour, shrimp, tofu, … anyone can make this dish by themselves.
First, you mix rice flour and tapioca with a little salt, then slowly pour cold water and boiling water in at a ratio of 1:2 and then bring it to incubate for 4-6 hours.
Then, you take out the clear water layer on top and then add the same amount of water, stir well, then pour the flour mixture into 1/2 cup and bring it to steam for about 10 minutes.
As for the filling, the shrimp, after being preliminarily cleaned, are boiled, peeled and then pureed. Then put the shrimp in the roasting pan until the shrimp is dry and fragrant.
When eating, you put burnt shrimp, onion fat, grease on each cup of banh beo and add 1 cup of sweet and sour chili fish sauce to enjoy!