Banh Nam Hue – ongstanding specialties of the people of Hue
In addition to the specialties that people often know when learning about the culinary culture of Hue people such as banh beo, bun bo, banh khot, etc., this place also has an extremely famous banh nam dish. Banh nam is considered as one of the best snacks in the ancient capital, attracting a large number of tourists to enjoy every year.
The origin of the name banh nam so far has not been answered. Even families with a 50-year tradition of making banh nam in Hue ancient capital do not know the reason for the appearance of the name of this type of cake.
The people of Hue only know that banh nam has gone deep into their cultural subconscious, even into the famous lullaby “In the afternoon, banh nam namh Dinh…”. It means that people bring banh nam stalls to the capital for sale.
Ingredients for making banh nam “standard Hue”
- 250g rice flour
- 50g tapioca flour
- 100g shrimp
- 100g lean meat
- 600ml water
- 100g cashew color powder
How to make Banh Nam Hue
Cake making stage
You proceed to preliminarily process shrimp and meat by peeling, washing, and mincing shrimp. Lean meat is also washed, minced and put together with shrimp. Marinate these two ingredients with a little salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, seasoning and pepper to evenly absorb the spices.
Put the pan on the stove, turn on the heat, then put in 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Put minced onion, minced garlic in the pan to fry until golden aroma, then add the marinated meat and shrimp mixture and quickly stir until they are small on the stove.
After frying the shrimp and meat for 1-2 minutes, you can add a little cashew color powder to create a beautiful red color for the filling. Stir-fry for a while until the shrimp and meat are cooked, then turn off the heat and the filling is done.
Cake dough making stage
The cake flour is made by mixing the original prepared flour and tapioca together with filtered water and cooking oil. Add to this flour mixture 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt.
After dissolving the powder, you put the pot on the stove and stir quickly in the small donkey. Observe that the dough thickens and turns clear, turn off the stove to cool.
Cake wrapping stage
Prepare banana leaves to wrap the cake by washing the leaves and then boiling them in boiling water with a little salt to make the leaves soft but still retain their natural green color. You can also soften the leaves by heating the banana leaves over the fire before wrapping the banh nam.
Cut the leaves into 15 x 20 cm rectangular pieces. Apply a little cooking oil on the rib-free side of the banana leaf and spread a thin layer of flour, so that the shrimp and meat filling is located right in the middle of the dough.
Fold the edges of the leaves, break the ends and give the cake a rectangular shape. Then use your hands to gently stroke the surface of the cake, spreading it evenly so that the dough is spread evenly. After wrapping the cake, you just need to put the cake in the basket and steam it for 10-15 minutes.
Note: The standard ratio when wrapping Nam cake is 1 tablespoon of flour, spread evenly with ¾ teaspoon of filling and smooth with your hands to make the cake thin and beautiful.
Read More: Banh Beo Hue
Sauce making stage
It is impossible to eat banh nam without a rich and delicious dipping sauce. You can make dipping sauce by adding a little fish sauce and sugar on the stove to boil until the sugar dissolves, add a little filtered water to reduce the saltiness of this fish sauce.
After the fish sauce cools, add minced garlic, minced chili and lemon juice to enhance the delicious taste. Depending on the taste of each person, you can increase or decrease these spices to suit the best.
Culture of enjoying “Hue standard” banh nam
Enjoying banh nam “standard Hue” is also an extremely artistic element. Normally, in Hue, people will divide the enjoyment of banh nam into two different styles:
- Some people will peel and arrange the cake on a plate
- Some people leave the cake on the banana leaf to feel the sweet fragrance of the leaves.
No matter where the cakes are peeled, the fragrance spreads there. Layers of green leaves are gradually opened to reveal a white cake with a smooth and shiny filling.
The combination of the green color of the wrapping leaves, the white color of the cake and the brick color of the shrimp meat creates a harmonious whole, evoking an irresistible delicious taste. It can be said that banh nam is a perfect dish, stimulating all the senses of the person enjoying it.
Hue people eat banh nam with a little fish sauce sprinkled on the surface of the cake. Then slowly feel the soft taste of the cake mixed with the fat of shrimp meat, the aroma of scallions, the pungent taste of pepper and the subtle scent of banana leaves.
In addition to shrimp and meat cakes, Hue people now also make vegetarian cakes with ingredients from mung bean flour, sugar, pandan leaves, etc. to serve vegetarian diners or to worship on holidays, on the 1st. , full moon,…
Mix green bean powder with pandan leaf juice and boil over low heat, stir until the dough is clear, then pack with cooked mung bean paste, mix with sugar. Vegetarian Banh Nam when eaten brings the sweet, fleshy taste of green beans combined with the gentle aroma of pandan leaves.
