How to Peel and Pan-Fry Bánh Chưng

Name: How to Peel and Pan-Fry Bánh Chưng
Total time: 900 s
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 bánh chưng (Vietnamese sticky rice cake); 1 teaspoon cooking oil (about 5 ml); Chili and soy sauce

Bích Hòa @130412Lam

Vietnam

Young people often use knives to cut bánh chưng, and some even cut through the leaves with a knife! So, as someone older, I want to remind you through Cookpad to use the traditional method our elders have always used—it never goes out of style.

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Ingredients

15 minutes

Serves 4 servings

1bánh chưng (Vietnamese sticky rice cake)
1 teaspooncooking oil (about 5 ml)
Chili and soy sauce

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Steps

15 minutes

1

Traditional bánh chưng is tied with bamboo strings as shown in the picture.
2

Untie all the strings and peel off the outer leaves. Take one string and split it into 4 thin strips—the thinner, the better, to avoid pulling out the filling or breaking the cake.
3

Use the split strings to cut the cake as shown in the picture. Mark which string you place first so you know which to cut first—if you mix them up, the filling may spill out. You can mark them in different ways; I tie a loop or knot at the end of each string.
4

Place a plate over the cake and flip it upside down (remember to rinse the plate with water or lightly oil it so the cake doesn't stick).
5

After flipping, completely remove the leaves as shown in the picture.
6

Pull the strings—hold both ends and pull either inward or to the side of the cake, following the order you marked.
7

Now the cake is cut.
8

I like to pan-fry bánh chưng: add a teaspoon of oil to a pan, spread it evenly, then pour out any excess oil and add the cake to fry with almost no oil.
9

Some people like to press the cake flat, but I prefer it this way.
10

Serve with soy sauce and a bit of chili—it's delicious! If you have pickled onions, that's great, but if not, pickled vegetables are also wonderful.