VI
EN
On the 15th or 1st day of each lunar month, the sight of mothers and grandmothers returning from religious ceremonies carrying bags of rice cakes with peanuts and soy sauce or rice cakes with salad has become quite familiar in many families. Rice cakes, originally a simple, rustic dish from the countryside, have gradually found their way into afternoon snacks in urban areas without anyone noticing. This simple, traditional Vietnamese dish has a special appeal.
Many stalls selling banh duc nom (rice cake salad) can be found on the streets of the capital, but the most delicious and famous are the banh duc stall at 47 Chau Long or the street vendor Ms. Le, who sits in front of house number 66 Hang Bac in the morning and moves to the front of the old house at 14 Dao Duy Tu in the afternoon.
Each smooth, glossy piece of rice cake is swiftly and skillfully sliced into thin, long strips by the vendor and placed into a large bowl, then topped with sesame and peanut broth mixed with blanched bean sprouts. All of the vendor's movements are quick and practiced; in just a moment, diners see a delicious bowl of rice cake salad in front of them. The salad is served with a variety of aromatic herbs such as water spinach, perilla, banana blossoms, or thinly sliced young banana stems... If you can handle spicy food, you can add a little chili powder or a few slices of fresh chili to fully appreciate the colors and flavors of this simple yet sophisticated dish.
When eating, diners will feel each soft, smooth piece of rice cake blending with the fragrant, nutty flavor of the sesame and peanut broth, the sweet coolness of blanched bean sprouts, and the subtle aroma of fresh herbs, creating a gentle yet captivating flavor that lingers in the mouth, enchanting the hearts of the people of Hanoi.
To make delicious rice cakes, you must continuously stir the batter with chopsticks to prevent lumps and sticking to the pot. The heat must be low and even so the cakes cook thoroughly without burning. A "standard" rice cake should have a slightly salty, smooth, and glossy appearance when cooled, without a strong lime smell, and should not stick to your hands when cut.
But the "essence" of the rice noodle salad lies in its rich, milky white broth made from sesame and peanuts. Vendors must be very careful in selecting the ingredients; the sesame and peanuts must be completely fresh, otherwise even a single spoiled grain will give the entire pot of broth an unpleasant odor. Then, the sesame and peanuts are ground and simmered with blanched bean sprouts to create a fragrant, rich, and creamy broth that is not greasy but still refreshing and appealing.
Made with simple, humble ingredients like rice, vegetables, sesame seeds, and peanuts, and boasting a light, delicate flavor, banh duc nom (rice cake salad) is a vegetarian dish and a rustic snack that conquers the taste buds of even the most discerning foodies. A bowl of banh duc nom costs 20,000 VND.
