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Banh cuon (rolled rice pancake)

Monday, 28 July 2008 07:47
(17 Votes)
Among Vietnam???s delicate specialties, "b??nh cu???n??? ranks top thanks to its softness, sweet fragance of cinnamon, dried onion and strong taste of minced meat and sources!

Among other members of the extended noodle family, b??nh cu???n almost ranks first. It is a paper-thin steamed rice flour pancake, much like delicate sheets of fresh rice noodles. The pancakes are plucked off of the linen steamer base, and immediately rolled with minced pork and mushrooms, then piled on a plate, sprinkled with deep fried shallots, snipped with scissors into bite sized sections, and topped with fresh herbs such as cilantro or Vietnamese basil. A plate of b??nh cu???n is a light dish traditionally eaten as breakfast in Hanoi but now can also be found as a late night snack.

To eat, dip a section of rolled noodle goodness into the accompanying warm fish sauce broth, brightened with a squeeze of fresh lime. You can also pick the leaves off the herbs and add them to the dipping sauce, grabbing a leaf or two as you dip, or you can follow each bite with a chaser of herbs. B??nh cu???n are often eaten with different sides of pork sausages, including sheets of an orange hued, roasted cinnamon sausage called ch??? qu???.

Where to find it?
A short walk north of H??ng Da Market and H??ng ??i???u street will bring you to B??nh Cu???n Thanh V??n, just look for the b??nh cu???n station???two large covered steaming pots???out front along the sidewalk. Just take a look! The practiced hands keep the b??nh cu???n rolling out with experiences, alternating seamlessly between spreading the thin batter on the linen base of one steamer, then at right time, turning to the other to peel the delicately steamed pancake off the linen base with a bamboo stick. By the time the batter is spread on its newly emptied linen base, the pancake in the first steamer is ready and waiting. With only 6 tables nestled inside the small open storefront, the pace never slows. Serving 7AM-1PM and 5PM-11PM.

Coordinators:

No. 14 H??ng G?? street, between H??ng M?? and H??ng V???i (the H??ng V???i corner is lined with bamboo ladders and poles). It is located on the west side of the street, not far from where the street name changes from H??ng C??t to H??ng G??.

The restaurant Qu??n ??n Ngon, No.18 Phan B???i Ch??u Street, also does a very respectable version of b??nh cu???n.

 

 

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