Not only is Hanoi a famous destination of a thousand years of civilization that attracts many domestic and foreign tourists, it also attracts anyone who visits because of its cuisine imbued with the quintessence of the Capital’s culture.
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Besides famous specialties such as pho coffee… in Hanoi, there is also a simple dish associated with the childhood of many generations of people that is still sought after and loved today. That is sticky rice cake – a “rare and hard to find” traditional dish in the heart of modern Hanoi.
Even though it is a traditional dish that preserves the cultural identity of Hanoi people, over time sticky rice cake has gradually been lost, with only a few places selling it at food stores no 64 To Hien Thanh Street (Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi) and a kitchen on Nguyen Luong Bang (Dong Da District) still serve this “famous” sticky rice cake.
“My childhood was associated with simple dishes imbued with the cultural identity of Hanoi people. In my subconscious, I was always impressed with cakes Mothers and grandmothers will always remember the rich flavor of this rustic snack.
Later, when the sticky rice cake gradually disappeared, I decided to learn and refer to recipes from many people’s experiences. source to restore and preserve old Hanoi specialties” shared Ms. Huong, owner of a food shop on To Hien Thanh street.
Sticky rice cake has been restored by Ms. Huong’s kitchen for the past 4 years and up to now it has always been one of the most popular dishes. ” especially on weekdays or holidays. The dish consists of two main ingredients: a smooth, flexible crust and a rich, salty filling.
According to Ms. Huong, to make delicious sticky rice cakes, the ingredients need to be carefully selected. The crust is selected from a special type of sticky rice to help eat it without being too heavy or too hot. The amount of flour for each cake is measured just enough to create a thin, flexible crust that won’t break when steamed.
The filling is divided into two types: fatty meat filling or shrimp and meat filling. Fatty meat is selected from pigs and is taken from the nape of the neck to give it a fragrant crunch. As for the shrimp filling, the type of shrimp used is fresh fried shrimp so that when ground and stir-fried, the rich aroma of the sea will still be released.
In addition to the fatty shrimp and meat, the filling is also mixed with accompanying spices such as Phu Quoc Phan Thiet fish sauce pepper or Dien Bien wood ear mushrooms… meticulously selected to ensure the dish is fragrant and has a rich flavor. most characteristic.
Inside Besides, the banana leaves are also carefully selected by Ms. Huong to ensure they are tough so that when wrapping, the leaves do not tear and do not expose the cake. Banana leaves are often dried in the sun or over a fire (on a cool, rainy day without sunshine) to make the leaves soft and tough.
Thanks to meticulous processing in each step, this store’s popular sticky rice cake is still delicious. pleases many diners in modern cities. One day, the store served more than 500 sticky rice cakes, and the staff was “tired” of making the dough to wrap them.
Enter On peak days such as weekends, wedding season, party season or even during the epidemic season, sticky rice cakes are always “sold out”. Ms. Huong said that sticky rice cakes are handmade and require sophistication, so the store only serves a limited quantity to ensure the quality of the dish.
Depending on quantity and demand For customer orders, Ms. Huong and her staff have to get up early at 2-3 am or stay up until 10-11 pm to make food. At this kitchen workshop, each cake filled with fatty meat costs 15,000 VND and the sticky rice cake filled with shrimp and meat costs 18,000 VND/piece.
Sticky rice cakes are used as a convenient breakfast dish that is still full of nutrition. is a snack that warms diners’ bellies every afternoon. This smooth, soft white cake also often appears in offerings on the first full moon day or during Tet holidays, becoming a familiar dish of Hanoi people to this day.
Bite a piece of sticky rice cake Diners will feel the soft, smooth crust and the rich, fatty meat and green bean filling with a slight spiciness of pepper and the faint aroma of fish sauce. All the flavors blend together and spread throughout the mouth, making anyone who eats them remember them forever.
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