A small cake with a big taste

Roadside stalls in Ho Chi Minh City offer a wide variety of dining options, including the small cakes known as banh khot and banh can.

Banh can originated in the central coast regions of Vietnam

The traditional savory cakes are closely related, although banh khot is usually a little oilier.

Banh can originated from the central coast regions of Vietnam while banh khot is from the southern region. In HCMC, these small savory cakes are eaten for breakfast or as a snack between meals.

These cakes are made with a similar batter to the popular Vietnamese pancake called banh xeo. However, banh khot and banh can, are much smaller, about the size of a biscuit.

At one small banh can stall near the end of Truong Dinh Street in the city’s District 3, the two hot pans are often busy all day long.

The toppings and the sauces served with banh can varies from place to place.

Banh can fillings can be shrimp, pork, beef or octopus. The fish sauce served may be pure fish sauce or fish sauce with ground peanuts. Banh khot, however, is only ever topped with shrimp.

The batter for both types of cake is made with rice flour, coconut milk and sometimes turmeric to give a yellow color.

The cakes are cooked in a pan that resembles a muffin tray, with eight to ten hollows to shape the cakes.

Pouring the batter into the pan requires special skill. The batter must fill three-quarters of the mold, leaving space for the cake to rise.

The toppings are added as the batter cooks. One shrimp is placed on each cake, along with some chopped spring onions and cubes of fried bread.

Banh khot is a dish from Vietnam’s southern region

A perfect banh khot has a crispy slightly golden crust, a moist center and a slightly sweet flavor.

At stalls in HCMC, a portion often consists of five or six cakes, served with lettuce and other green leaves and a dipping sauce.

Most diners wrap their banh can or banh khot in leaves and dip the package into the sauce. However, some like to eat their cakes straight, without any greenery.

Diners say the combination of the fresh lettuce, the crisp hot cake and the saltiness of the fish sauce can’t be beaten.

The most delicious banh khot are said to be found in the coastal city of Vung Tau. Tourists to Vung Tau, a little more than an hour from HCMC by ferry, often make a banh khot stall one of their first stops in the resort town.

In HCMC, a popular banh khot stalls is in the area known as the “Cambodian market” on Le Hong Phong Street in District 5.

This stall does a roaring trade in “Cambodian banh khot,” which are made with extra coconut milk and without turmeric.

Banh can and banh khot are served in many big restaurants in HCMC but many locals believe they taste better at roadside stalls.

Source: Mon Ngon Viet Nam