| Bánh đúc | |
| Country: | Vietnam |
| Region: | Southeast Asia |
| Course: | Snack |
| Main Ingredient: | Rice flour and slaked lime |
| Variations: | Bánh bèo, Bánh nậm |
Bánh đúc is a Vietnamese bánh (cake). There are two main types of bánh đúc, the white Northern Vietnamese cake and the green Southern version. This cake is also considered a local food of Trat, a small province located at the easternmost tip of Thailand. Bánh đúc is also found in Cambodia.[1]
In northern Vietnam, bánh đúc is a cake made from either non-glutinous rice flour or corn flour. It is white in color and has a soft texture and mild flavour. It is typically garnished with savory ingredients such as ground pork, tôm chấy (grilled ground shrimp), fried onions, sesame seeds, salt, peanuts, lime juice, and soy sauce or fish sauce. Although it may be eaten on its own, it may also be served hot, accompanied by steamed meat or mushrooms.
Bánh đúc is available at small stalls and is eaten throughout the day.
In southern Vietnam, bánh đúc is a dessert made from non-glutinous rice flour. It takes the form of gelatinous blocks that are often colored green by the addition of Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf extract. It is cooked by boiling the ingredients and allowing them to cool, solidifying into a jelly-like sheet that is then cut into blocks.
The Vietnamese people have a saying:
The literal meaning is: "bones are never found in bánh đúc, just like a stepmother never loves her husband's own children." This couplet is used to describe something very unlikely to happen.