Made from glutinous rice, it is soft and chewy – the texture is similar to but thicker than that of Japanese mochi. Commonly served with pork sausage or pork floss.
Street food
Street food culture is huge in Vietnam. These are dishes you would usually only find sold by street vendors.
Cá viên chiên • Fried fish balls & assorted skewers
One of my favorite after school snacks from primary school. I remember packing up my books as quickly as possible and running out the gates with my friends, straight to the little street cart waiting for us. Even though everyone calls them “cá viên chiên” […]
Bánh đúc nóng • Vietnamese savory rice flour pudding
A delicious Hà Nội speciality: a warm savory rice flour pudding topped with ground pork, mushrooms, crispy fried shallots, herbs, and a tangy savory sauce.
Bánh xèo • Vietnamese sizzling pancake
A crispy turmeric rice cake that resembles a crêpe or dosa, filled with pork, shrimp, onion, mung beans, and bean sprouts.
Bánh canh giò heo • Tapioca noodle soup with pork hock
Bouncy tapioca noodles and pork hocks in a light but umami broth, along with carrot, straw mushrooms, boiled quail eggs, garlic chives, fried shallot, and chopped green onion.
Bánh gối • Vietnamese “pillow” meat hand pies
Meaty fillings encased in dough transcends cultures. So many different peoples have come up with their own version- there’s the Cornish pasty, Eastern European piroshki, Jamaican patty, Spanish & Latin American empanada, Levantine fatayer, South Asian samosa, Southeast Asian curry puff, Cantonese ham sui gok- […]
Phở áp chảo • Crispy Fried Phở
Crispy fried rice noodles topped with a flavorful mixture of sautéed tender beef and vegetables. This dish satisfies those fried food cravings but is balanced and filled with veggies.
Tôm luộc bia • Vietnamese beer-boiled shrimp
Fun fact: I cannot drink lager beer without thinking about shrimp because my first ever taste of beer was eating this dish as a kid. If you want a super easy and delicious appetizer or dinner idea, this is the recipe for you. These lemongrass […]
Bánh bột chiên • Vietnamese fried rice cake with egg
Pieces of rice cake fried until crispy, then cooked into a flat “cake” with eggs, and doused in a sweet & tangy soy sauce.