Bánh bò

''Bánh bò'' (literally "cow cake" or "crawl cake") is a sweet, chewy sponge cake from Vietnam. It is made from rice flour, water, sugar, and yeast, and has a honeycomb-like appearance (called ''rễ tre'', literally "bamboo roots," in Vietnamese) on the inside due to the presence of numerous small air bubbles. Coconut milk is also usually a part of the batter, imparting a slight flavor and aroma of coconut. The cake is of Southern Chinese origin, although the Chinese version, called '' bái táng gāo'' ( 白 糖 糕), does not contain coconut milk. ''Bánh bò'' are generally eaten as a dessert, although they may also be consumed as an accompaniment to a meal.

Etymology

In the Vietnamese language, ' means "cake", and ' can either mean "cow" or "to crawl". According to the entry for "𤙭" (bò) in Paulus Huỳnh Tịnh Của's 1895 dictionary '' Đại Nam quấc âm tự vị'', the dessert is named for its resemblance to a cow's udder, implying that the name was shortened from '. However, according to a popular folk etymology, ' refers to how the cake "crawls" up to the rim of the bowl when steamed to completion.

' is to be distinguished from the less common '' bánh bó'' ("pressed cake"), a fruit cake found in Quảng Ngãi Province; ' ("cow", "beef") is pronounced with a falling tone, whereas ' ("pressed") has a rising tone.

Varieties

Traditional varieties of ''bánh bò'' are available in Vietnam as well as in Asian grocery stores in countries with substantial overseas Vietnamese populations, such as the United States and France:
* Bánh bò nướng () – This variety of ''bánh bò'' is cooked by baking in a pan in an oven. It is generally off-white or yellowish-white in color on the inside and golden on the outside by caramelized coconut milk. Individual cakes are often large in size, in which case a serving will consist of a slice rather than the whole cake.
* Bánh bò hấp () is similar in appearance to the baked version. These cakes are often small in size, ball-shaped and cooked from the liquid. ''Bánh bò hấp'' may be white in color, green (by Pandanus amaryllifolius extract), pink or pale purple (by magenta plant extract). There are three ways to serve this variety. Like ''bánh bò nướng'', it can be used alone. It can be put in the middle of '' bánh tiêu'' (Chinese hollow doughnuts) and served. Also, people enjoy them in a small dish with coconut milk sauce including tapioca starch on top and a little bit ''muối mè'' or ''muối đậu phộng'' (literally: ''sesame salt'' and ''peanut salt'', respectively).

See also

* White sugar sponge cake
* Idli
* Bika ambon

Notes and references

External links

''Bánh bò hấp'' recipe

''Bánh bò nướng'' recipe

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banh Bo
Coconut cakes
Steamed foods
Rice cakes
Sponge cakes
Bánh
Yeast breads