In
Vietnamese, the term ''bánh'' ( or ,
Chữ Nôm
Chữ Nôm (, ) is a logographic writing system formerly used to write the Vietnamese language. It uses Chinese characters to represent Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary and some native Vietnamese words, with other words represented by new characters ...
: 餅) translates loosely as "cake" or "bread", but refers to a wide variety of prepared foods that can easily be eaten by hands or
chopsticks. With the addition of qualifying adjectives, ''bánh'' refers to a wide variety of sweet or savory, distinct cakes, buns, pastries, sandwiches, and other food items, which may be cooked by steaming, baking, frying, deep-frying, or boiling. Foods made from
wheat flour
Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of common wheat used for human consumption. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or ...
or
rice flour
Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening ...
are generally called ''bánh'', but the term may also refer to certain varieties of noodle and fish cake dishes, such as ''
bánh canh'' and ''
bánh hỏi''.
Each variety of ''bánh'' is designated by a descriptive word or phrase that follows the word ''bánh'', such as ''
bánh bò'' () or ''
bánh chuối'' (). ''Bánh'' that are wrapped in leaves before steaming are called ''
bánh lá'' ().
In Vietnamese, the term ' is not limited to
Vietnamese cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages originated from Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes (): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and Piquant, spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflects one or more ...
: it applies equally to items as varied as
fortune cookies ('),
pudding ('', ''),
caramel custard ('', ''),
sacramental bread
Sacramental bread, also called Communion bread, Communion wafer, Sacred host, Eucharistic bread, the Lamb or simply the host (), is the bread used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist. Along with sacramental wine, it is one of two elements ...
('),
Hamburger
A hamburger (or simply a burger) consists of fillings—usually a patty of ground meat, typically beef—placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. The patties are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, or chilis ...
('', ''), etc.
In some cases, the word can also refer to inedibles that have a cake-like shape, such as wheels ('), bath soaps ('), and compressed tobacco wheels (').
Varieties
There is a nearly endless variety of named dishes with the prefix ''bánh''. What follows is a list of the most typical traditional varieties of ''bánh''.
Noodles
*
Bánh canh – tapioca noodles which are cut from a large sheet.
*
Bánh hỏi – extremely thin noodles that are woven into intricate bundles and often topped with chopped scallions and a complementary meat dish
* Bánh phở – The steamed flat and thin cake made from rice flour and water before being cut into strips. The strips are not only called Bánh phở but also "sợi phở" or "cọng phở," and are noodles used in
phở
Phở or pho (, , ; ) is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles (), herbs, and meat – usually beef (), and sometimes chicken (). Phở is a popular food in Vietnam where it is served in households, street-stalls, and ...
. The width of the strips is usually around 1 cm or less.
Dumplings
* Bánh bá trạng or bánh ú – the Vietnamese term for ''
zongzi
''Zongzi'' () or simply ''zong'' () is a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with a range of fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Fillings can be either sweet, such as red bean paste, or savory, such as pork belly or ...
''
*
Bánh bao – ball-shaped bun filled with pork and/or other ingredients
*
Bánh bột lọc –
tapioca
Tapioca (; ) is a starch extracted from the tubers of the cassava plant (''Manihot esculenta,'' also known as manioc), a species native to the North Region, Brazil, North and Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast regions of Brazil, but which has ...
cake packed with shrimp
** Bánh bột lọc trần – dumplings with wrappers made of tapioca starch
** Bánh bột lọc lá – tiny rice flour dumplings stuffed with shrimp and ground pork and wrapped in a banana leaf; from Hue
*
Bánh cam – deep-fried glutinous rice sesame balls filled with sweetened mung bean paste; from southern Vietnam
* Bánh ít – small stuffed glutinous rice flour balls
**
Bánh ít dừa – coconut stuffed glutinous rice flour balls
** Bánh ít trần – "boiled" small stuffed glutinous rice flour balls
* Bánh khúc – glutinous rice ball
* Bánh nậm – flat rice flour dumpling from Hue stuffed with minced pork and
wood ear mushroom, and seasoned with black pepper and spices; wrapped in a banana leaf
* Bánh phu thê – ("husband and wife cake"; a sweet cake made of rice or tapioca flour and gelatin, filled with mung bean paste; also spelled ''bánh xu xê'')
** Bánh phu thê bột bán (husband and wife cakes made with tapioca pearls)
*
Bánh rán – deep-fried glutinous rice sesame balls filled with sweetened mung bean paste; from northern Vietnam
*
Bánh tẻ, small
steamed rice cake wrapped with
Lá dong leaves into a long, thin cylindrical shape, and boiled thoroughly.
Pancakes
*
Bánh bèo – small steamed savory rice cakes
* Bánh căn – a southern specialty consisting of small pancakes made from rice batter cooked in small clay pans
*
Bánh đúc, rice cake or corn cake is eaten as a dessert or savory meal
*
Bánh rế – deep-fried pancake
* Bánh khọt – a southern specialty consisting of small, fried rice flour pancakes
*
Bánh xèo
''Bánh xèo'' (, ) is a crispy, stuffed rice pancake popular in Vietnam. The name refers to the sound (from ''xèo'' – 'sizzling') a thin layer of rice batter makes when it is poured into the hot skillet. It is a savoury fried pancake made of ...
– a fried rice cake with shrimp and pork
*
Bánh bột chiên
In Vietnamese cuisine, ''bánh bột chiên'' are fried rice flour cakes. It is a Chinese-influenced rice flour based dish, which exists in many versions all over Asia; the Vietnamese version features a special tangy soy sauce on the side, rice f ...
– fried rice cakes with eggs
Rolls
*
Bánh cuốn – steamed rice roll
* Bánh tôm – shrimp patties
** Bánh tôm Hồ Tây – a shrimp patty made from deep fried julienned sweet potatoes – specialty originating from the area around
West Lake (
Tay Ho), Hanoi
Rice paper
*
Bánh tráng – rice paper
*
Bánh ướt – steamed rice paper
Breads and sandwiches
*
Bánh mì – refers to both
bread
Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...
and the Vietnamese baguette
* Bánh mì Pháp –
baguette
*
Bánh mì Việt Nam – specifically a Vietnamese-style baguette
Sweet cakes
*
Bánh bò – "cow cake," made from glutinous rice flour and coconut milk, with a honeycomb-like texture
** Bánh Bò Rễ Tre (Steamed Rice Cakes, Vietnamese Bak Tong Koh)
** Bánh Bò Khoai Lang (Sweet Potato Fatt Koh)
** Bánh Bò Lá Dứa – Pandan Coconut "Bak Tong Koh
** Bánh Bò Mã Lai –
Hong Kong Style Malaysian Steamed Sponge Cake
** Bánh Bò Nướng – Vietnamese Baked Honey Comb Cake
** Bánh Bò Nướng Chay – a vegetarian version of bánh bò nướng
*
Bánh cáy, rectangular-shaped sweet dessert made by roasting and grinding glutinous rice and other ingredients
*
Bánh da lợn – colored steamed layer cake made from tapioca starch, rice flour, coconut milk and/or water, sugar, and other ingredients
*
Bánh đúc – rice cake or corn cake eaten as a dessert or savory meal
*
Bánh chuối – banana cake
*
Bánh gối – a type of bread originating from Chinese fried dumpling
*
Bánh khảo – a sweet cake made from glutinous rice flour and sugar
**
Bánh khảo sữa – a sweet cake made from glutinous rice flour, sugar, and milk powder
*
Bánh khoai mì – sweet cassava cake
* Bánh khoai môn – taro cake
*
Bánh tiêu – hollow donuts
*
Bánh trung thu – mooncake
Dishes for special occasions
*
Bánh chưng – square-shaped steamed glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in a
dong leaf (''
lá dong'')
*
Bánh tét – log-shaped cylindrical glutinous rice cake, wrapped in a banana leaf and filled with a meat or vegetarian filling
* Bánh trôi () – served together with ''bánh chay''
* Bánh tổ – a round, golden/taupe colored, sticky cake served for new years. It's made of glutinous rice flour, sugar, water, and soybean oil. Like the Chinese new year cake, ''
nian gao'', the bánh tổ is cut into thin slices then dipped in egg and fried before serving. This is an uncommon pastry and it is said the shape represents a wheel. It is sometimes decorated with white sesame seeds and red food coloring. (cf. ''
kue keranjang'' in Indonesia)
* Bánh bác – a round, origin
Hoài Đức district,
Hanoi
Hanoi ( ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Vietnam, second-most populous city of Vietnam. The name "Hanoi" translates to "inside the river" (Hanoi is bordered by the Red River (Asia), Red and Black River (Asia), Black Riv ...
Others
*
Bánh bông lan, called bánh gatô in northern Vietnam – sponge cake
** Bánh Bông Lan Bơ – Fruit/Butter Cake
** Bánh Bông Lan Cuốn –
Swiss Roll
** Bánh Bông Lan Phú Sĩ – Mountain Fuji Cake
** Bánh Bông Lan Rễ Tre – Honeycomb Sponge Cake
* Bánh chay – served together with ''bánh trôi''
*
Bánh cốm – green rice cake made using
cốm with
mung bean
The mung bean or green gram (''Vigna radiata'') is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract Green Mung Bean Extract Powder Phaseolus aureus Roxb Vigna radiata L R Wilczek. MDidea-Extracts P ...
filling
*
Bánh cuốn
*
Bánh cáy
*
Bánh căn
* Bánh đa (Northern) or Bánh tráng nướng (Southern)- rice cracker
*
Bánh đậu xanh – sweet
mung bean
The mung bean or green gram (''Vigna radiata'') is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract Green Mung Bean Extract Powder Phaseolus aureus Roxb Vigna radiata L R Wilczek. MDidea-Extracts P ...
paste
* Bánh dừa
* Bánh gai – made from the leaves of the "gai" tree (''
Boehmeria nivea'') dried, boiled, ground into small pieces, then mixed with glutinous rice, wrapped in banana leaf. The filling is made from a mixture of coconut, mung bean, peanuts, winter melon, sesame, and lotus seeds.
Thanh Hóa province is famous for its bánh gai Tứ Trụ.
*
Bánh giầy
(often be mistaken as , or ) is a Vietnamese traditional cake. is a white, flat, and round glutinous rice, glutinous rice cake. They are wrapped in cut pieces of banana leaves. They are usually served with a type of Vietnamese sausage . can ...
, also written as ''bánh dầy'' – white, flat, round glutinous rice cake with tough, chewy texture filled with mung bean or served with Vietnamese sausage (
Giò lụa)
* Bánh giò – pyramid shaped rice dough dumplings filled with pork, shallot, and
wood ear mushroom wrapped in banana leaf
* Bánh hoa hồng – rice cake that is shaped like a
flower
Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
and made with
mung bean
The mung bean or green gram (''Vigna radiata'') is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract Green Mung Bean Extract Powder Phaseolus aureus Roxb Vigna radiata L R Wilczek. MDidea-Extracts P ...
paste
* Bánh kẹp – Vietnamese waffle cookies made from rice flour, like a
pizzelle
**
Bánh kẹp lá dứa – pandan waffle
*
Bánh mật – Molasses-sweetened glutinous rice cake – filled with green bean paste or groundnut
* Bánh lá dừa – Cake wrapped in coconut leaf
*
Bánh phồng tôm – prawn crackers
* Bánh phục linh – cookies made from tapioca flour, coconut milk, and sugar
* Chè lam Phủ Quảng
* Bánh quế
* Bánh tráng mè
* Bánh bà lai hoa hồng
* Bánh xếp bột gạo
* Bánh xếp bột loc
* Bánh bèo ngọt
* Bánh bèo nhân tôm thịt
* Bánh bèo xiêm
* Bánh tầm bì
* Bánh bao ca dé – Coconut Custard Bao
*
Bánh pía – a
Teochew Pastry
* Bánh Chuối Hấp – Steamed Banana Cake
* Bánh Chuối Nướng – Baked Banana Bread Pudding
* Bánh Đập – Rice crackers stuck together
* Bánh Dẻo – Vietnamese Ping Pei Mooncakes
* Bánh Dẻo Cuộn – Ping Pei Rolls
* Bánh Flan –
crème caramel
Crème caramel (), flan, caramel pudding, condensed milk pudding, or caramel custard is a custard dessert with a layer of clear caramel sauce.
History
Custard has a long documented history, but crème caramel or flan in its modern form, with sof ...
* Bánh Gan – "Liver" Cake
* Bánh Hạnh Nhân – Vietnamese Almond/Peanut Cookies
* Bánh Hoa Mai/Hoa Đào – Cherry/Plum Blossom Cookies
* Bánh Hoa Sen – Lotus Pastries
*
Bánh in – Print Cakes
* Bánh Men – Yeast Cookies
* Bánh Quai Vạc – Coconut/Mung Bean Puffs
* Bánh Quế/Bánh Kẹp – Vietnamese Love Letters
* Bánh Sát Phu – Husband Killers
* Bánh Thuẫn Hấp – Steamed Cup Cakes
* Bánh Ú Nước Tro – Lye Water Dumplings
* Bánh Bao Nương Nhân Xá Xíu – baked char siu bao
* Bào Ngư Xào Nấm Đông Cô – Braised Shitake Mushrooms with Abalone
* Bánh Hoa Hồng – Rose Dumplings
* Bánh Khoai Môn Tàn Ong –
Dim sum Taro Puffs
* Bánh Mì Chiên – Fried Baguettes
* Bánh Mì Hấp – Steamed Baguettes
*
Bánh patê sô – A French-inspired meat-filled pastry. Characterized by flaky crust and either pork or chicken as the filling.
* Bánh Phồng Tôm – Shrimp Crackers/Chips
*
Bánh trôi nước
See also
*
''Bánh'' at Vietnamese Wikipedia
*
Bing (Chinese flatbread)
*
Mochi
A mochi ( ; Japanese ) is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain Japonica rice, japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the ...
*
Mont
*
List of steamed foods
*
Vietnamese cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages originated from Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes (): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and Piquant, spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflects one or more ...
References
External links
Alice's Guide to Vietnamese Banh*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banh
Deep fried foods
Steamed foods
Bánh