Banh Nam (Flat rice dumpling)

Together with Banh Beo and Banh Bot Loc, Banh Nam is another traditional food from the central city. The main ingredients for Banh Nam are rice flour, smashed shrimp, and pork meat. You will dip it into the fish sauce when eating. Depending on the taste you like, you can make the sauce to be either salty or sweet. The batter of Banh Nam is made by mixing rice flour with water and stirring them well to dissolve. This batter is then added with a little bit of salt and vegetable oil. The batter will then be cooked on medium heat until it becomes thick and turns into a paste. 

Ingredients of Banh Nam 

There are two main ingredients for fillings, including shrimps and pork. Both are minced with some shallots and garlic. The shrimps and pork are then seasoned and mixed well before being stir-fried in a pan. Banh Nam is wrapped by banana leaves which are either boiled with hot water or dried under the sun. The banana leaves will be spread with oil before the paste and fillings are added to them. They are then wrapped in a rectangle shape and tied with banana leaf string. After being steamed for about 15-20 minutes, it can be served on the table. You should eat Banh Nam when it is still hot to enjoy the best taste. Just unwrap it and dip it in the sauce. 

Banh Nam should be eaten when it is still hot

There is still another recipe for vegetarians. Instead of using shrimps and pork as fillings, the cook will use green beans. The locals eat this type of Banh Nam on the first day and fifteenth day of a lunar month. Because of healthy ingredients and delicious taste, everyone can eat Banh Nam, including locals and tourists, from the elderly, adults to kids. Banh Nam is usually eaten as breakfast or snacks by the locals.

Banh Nam is a favorite dish in Hue

No matter if you are a Vietnamese coming from other provinces, or you are a foreigner traveling to Vietnam, Banh Nam is one of the must-try dishes that represent Hue cuisine. If you don’t know, Hue used to be the Capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty. So Hue cuisine is quite traditional and preserves the culture very well. If you don’t have a chance to visit Hue, you can try this dish in some other big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Hue’s dishes are so popular among the Vietnamese that there are plenty of restaurants dedicated to Hue cuisine. 

Below are some good places to eat Banh Nam in Hue:

1. Bà Đỏ

• Address: 8 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Hue city
• Opening hours: 08:00 am – 09:30 pm    
• Price: 40 cents - 2 USD

2. Quán 109

• Address: 109 Le Huan Street, Hue city
• Opening hours: 06:00 am – 09:00 pm  
• Price: 40 - 60 cents

3. Mệ Lé

• Address: 104/17/9 Kim Long Street, Hue city
• Opening hours: 06:00 am – 10:00 pm   
• Price: 60 cents to 1 USD

Banh Nam represents Hue unique cuisine

All in all, Banh Nam is one of the favorite dishes representing Hue's unique cuisine. Let's try Banh Nam if you visit Hue. You will certainly love it.

Image source: Internet