Buzz
Bánh căn, a familiar and humble dish, yet with a special allure that can make one eagerly wait for nearly an hour by the warm charcoal stove, anticipating the small, piping hot, crispy cakes to come out for enjoyment.
Bánh căn: a delicious treat you must indulge in when visiting Đà Lạt.
While bánh căn originates from the central region, it holds a unique charm in Đà Lạt, leaving everyone with cherished memories.
Bánh căn is a type of cake made from rice flour. Depending on the eatery, there are different formulas for grinding the flour, but the main ingredient is rice soaked overnight and ground finely along with cold rice. The quality of the cake depends on the flour-making process, ensuring the cakes are not burnt, powdery, with a crispy outer layer, and a soft, fluffy interior.
Accompanying the cakes is fish sauce adjusted to the local taste of Đà Lạt. There are 2 types of fish sauce to enjoy with bánh căn: liquid fish sauce and seasoned fish sauce.
Fish sauce, a savory-sweet concoction made by simmering with sugar, offers a delectable flavor profile.
Before serving the sauce, finely chopped spring onions are sautéed with fat to enhance richness before mixing with the fish sauce.
With flour, fish sauce, and spring onions all prepared, the final step is the oven. The bánh căn oven, available in 10 or 15-hole varieties, each about 5cm in diameter, produces small, crispy cakes after pouring the finely ground flour into the mold and covering for about 2 minutes.
What makes Đà Lạt's bánh căn intriguing is its accompaniments: bean sprouts, thinly sliced mangoes, pineapple jam, roasted peanuts, pork sausage, and meatballs. The meatball dipping sauce, served with fish sauce, complements the bánh căn's rich flavor.
Many mistake bánh căn for bánh khọt, but bánh căn is simpler and larger. Bánh căn pairs with quail eggs, chicken eggs, duck eggs, or beef, allowing individuals to choose according to their taste and preference.
Eating bánh căn is considered one of Đà Lạt's simple pleasures, especially on chilly mornings when the dew still lingers. Sitting by the warm charcoal stove, eagerly awaiting the small, piping hot, crispy cakes, adding a dash of fish sauce, is a rare experience found nowhere else.
From Lao Động Newspaper
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourOctober 21, 2016
