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1. Wrapping banana Tet cakes
Many might mistake banana Tet cakes as those wrapped in banana leaves. However, the type referred to in this article features ripe and fragrant banana fillings.
Although it might sound peculiar and relatively new to many, it's a different story in the Mekong Delta region. Banana Tet cakes boast a unique flavor profile combining the sweetness of bananas with sticky rice, intertwined with a few savory black beans, crafted by locals.
1.1. Ingredient preparation and processing
Wrapping banana Tet cakes is quite simple. First, you'll need the following ingredients (for 6 cakes):
- 1 kg glutinous rice: Rinse thoroughly and soak in warm water for about 2 hours before wrapping the Tet cakes.
- 12 ripe bananas: Peel, leave them whole, and place them on a tray. Add a bit of liquor, half a tablespoon of sugar, and mix well to coat the bananas evenly. Wrap with cling film and let marinate for about 2 hours.
- Approximately 8 banana leaves: Cut into small pieces sized 20x20cm.
- 500g black beans: Soak overnight in water, rinse well, and drain.
After soaking the glutinous rice, transfer it to a large pan, add coconut milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt, stir well, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the soaked black beans and mix well. Wrap it back up to keep warm.
1.2. Proceed to wrap banana Tet cakes
Wrapping banana Tet cakes is similar to wrapping meat-filled Tet cakes. First, lay banana leaves on the bottom and place the glutinous rice in the middle, spreading it evenly into a rectangle shape. Then:
- Place the marinated bananas in the middle and gently press with your hands to stick the rice and filling together, wrapping the filling inside the rice.
- Fold the banana leaves in half lengthwise and tie them loosely to secure. Fold one end of the cake and stand it up, gently flatten the rice at the end, then fold one side of the leaf down, fold the next in order, left, right, and finally opposite. Repeat the same for the other end of the cake.
- The final step is to tie the loops securely and beautifully.
After being wrapped, banana Tet cakes are boiled for about 5-6 hours. The finished product features chewy rice and visually appealing red bananas.
2. Wrapping cashew Tet cakes
Another way to wrap Tet cakes that you can try for the 2024 Lunar New Year is cashew-filled Tet cakes, also known as cashew Tet cakes. Just from the name, you probably already know the special feature of this cake lies in its rich and nutty cashew filling.
2.1. Ingredient preparation and processing
The quantity of ingredients for 10 cakes is as follows:
2.2. Proceed to wrap cashew Tet cakes
Here's how to wrap cashew Tet cakes:
- Start by laying banana leaves flat. Scoop out soaked glutinous rice onto them and spread evenly lengthwise.
- Next, layer the filling consisting of cashews and pork belly in the middle. The cashews should also be spread evenly lengthwise to encapsulate the meat filling. Wrap the cakes as usual and tie tightly with string.
- Boil the Tet cakes over medium heat for about 5-6 hours. The finished product yields unique Tet cakes with both meat and cashew fillings, rich and nutty in flavor.
3. Wrapping corn Tet cakes
One of the novel ways to wrap Tet cakes that you must try this 2024 Lunar New Year is corn Tet cakes. This is a specialty of the people of Dat Do in Ba Ria-Vung Tau. The main ingredient of corn Tet cakes is carefully selected, fragrant corn. The filling of corn Tet cakes does not contain meat but rather smooth mung beans. These two ingredients combine extremely well, creating a distinctive and delicious flavor.
3.1. Ingredient preparation and processing
Ingredients for 5 cakes:
- 2.5kg finely ground corn flour: Corn Tet cakes are not made from glutinous rice but from finely ground corn flour. Choose corn that is neither too mature nor too young for the best texture. After purchasing, wash and finely grind the corn, creating a smooth corn flour paste. You can add a little salt to enhance the flavor according to your preference. Each cake requires about 500kg of corn flour.
- 600g mung beans: Soak in water, cook until tender, and mash until smooth. If you prefer the original flavor, there's no need for seasoning. For a sweeter taste, you can add a little sugar or finely grated coconut, oil, or clarified butter for richness.
- Banana leaves
3.2. Proceed to wrap corn Tet cakes
Wrapping corn Tet cakes follows the usual method, but the cakes will be smaller, about the size of a wrist.
You lay the leaves at the bottom and then layer alternating layers of corn flour and mung bean filling. Roll it up and tie tightly with banana or rattan strings, then boil for about 1.5 hours until cooked.
The finished product is a small corn Tet cake, emitting the fragrance of corn. Bite into it for a chewy, sweet, and rich mung bean flavor that's irresistibly delicious. The best time to enjoy these cakes is when they are cooled.
Wrapping corn Tet cakes as introduced by Mytour.vn may not exactly replicate the taste of the locals due to the specialty corn used by the people of Dat Do, which is quite challenging to find and requires selecting corn that is ripe enough to wrap. However, this is a type of cake worth trying during Tet when you're tired of traditional meat Tet cakes, allowing you to savor a new and reminiscent flavor of home for those far from it.
