''Bánh bèo'' is a
Vietnamese dish that is originated from
Huế
Huế (formerly Thừa Thiên Huế province) is the southernmost coastal Municipalities of Vietnam, city in the North Central Coast region, the Central Vietnam, Central of Vietnam, approximately in the center of the country. It borders Quảng ...
, a city in Central Vietnam. The English translation for this dish is
water fern cakes. Bánh bèo is made from a combination of rice flour and tapioca flour. It is popular street food in Vietnam. The ingredients include rice cake, dried shrimps, crispy pork skin, scallion oil, and dipping sauce. It is usually eaten as a snack but is now considered a dish in restaurants and can be eaten as lunch and dinner.
Methods of eating
Banh beo is usually accompanied by nuoc mam (a clear sauce made from sugar, fish sauce, garlic, and Thai chili) and crunchy pork belly strips that enhance the taste of the dish.
Like most dishes, there are various versions of
banh beo around Vietnam. For example, banh beo from Quang Ngai is topped with a combination of shrimp and pork paste instead. Banh beo from the South side of Vietnam is eaten with mashed mung bean as topping, making it sweeter than the banh beo from Hue or Quang Ngai because that was how Southerners in Vietnam prefer it.
Most often, banh beo are served in individual small dishes and eaten whole after scraping out of the dish with a spoon. Another way to eat this dish is to use a chopstick to nudge the banh beo off the circular dish.
It is often paired with beverages such as green or black tea, or Vietnamese iced coffee. It is best eaten when fresh to avoid the dish being spoiled.
Etymology
The dish's name is believed to derive from the fact that it is shaped like
water lettuce
''Pistia'' is a genus of aquatic plants in the arum family, Araceae. It is the sole genus in the tribe ''Pistieae'' which reflects its systematic isolation within the family. The single species it comprises, ''Pistia stratiotes'', is often call ...
(''bèo'' in Vietnamese). ''
Bánh
In Vietnamese, the term ''bánh'' ( or , Chữ Nôm: 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, ' ...
'' is a Vietnamese term translating loosely as "cake."
In modern Vietnamese culture, ''bánh bèo'' is slang for girls who are portrayed as overly feminine, weak-willed, and high maintenance (because of its soft, rubbery texture).
See also
*
Bánh bột lọc
Bánh bột lọc are small, clear-looking, chewy tapioca dumplings in Vietnamese cuisine that can be eaten as appetizers or small snacks. They are usually filled with shrimp and pork belly, often being topped with fried shallots and served with ...
*
Bánh
In Vietnamese, the term ''bánh'' ( or , Chữ Nôm: 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, ' ...
*
List of steamed foods
This is a list of steamed foods and dishes that are typically or commonly prepared by the cooking method of steaming.
Steamed foods
* Ada – a food item from Kerala, usually made of rice flour with sweet filling inside.
* Bánh – in Hano ...
References
Vietnamese rice dishes
Culture in Huế
Steamed foods
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