Joanna James
While you may have heard of or even sampled some of the popular dishes of Vietnam, don't forget delectable desserts are also part of the local cuisine! If you are planning a visit to this nation, here are some of the best sweet delights that you should look to sample.
Locally known as 'banh dau xanh', this mung bean pastry is a local favourite and once you have tried it, you are bound to become a fan as well! This dish originated in the Hai Duong Province and apart from mung beans, it consists of ingredients like pork fat or vegetable oil, sugar and various flavourings. Generally, banh dau xanh is yellow in colour and rectangular in shape with a powdery and smooth texture. This dessert is rather sweet and is typically accompanied by lotus tea or green tea.
Those who love sampling the different cakes of the world should look to try 'banh bo', a traditional Vietnamese honeycomb cake. The base ingredient of this dish is tapioca or rice flour which is used to create a yeast-based batter, while coconut milk is also added which gives a distinct flavour. Such cakes can be typically steamed or baked and depending on the preparation method, the ingredients, shape and colour can vary. Inside, due to the presence of air bubbles, one will find a honeycomb-like design.
'Che ba ba' is the name given to this sweet dessert soup made up of a diverse range of ingredients including cassava, sweet potato and taro. Other additions include seaweed, peeled mung bean, tapioca pearls, pandan leaf and sugar that are all cooked in sweet coconut milk. Usually served warm, this soup-like dish can be enjoyed in various destinations in Vietnam such as Hoi An. Restaurants in this part of the country offer more foodie and dessert discoveries too at properties the likes of Anantara Hoi An Resort.
The perfect refreshing treat on a hot day, the three colour dessert also called 'che ba mau', is another favourite amongst foodies. The consistency can vary depending on where you try it and can be like a soup, drink or pudding! Ingredients such as pandan jelly, azuki beans and mung beans are used which give this dish three colour layers of green, red and yellow respectively. Depending on the preparation method, tapioca pearls, lotus seeds and sticky rice can be included while coconut milk is also used to create a divine combination.
One of the most uniquely named desserts in Vietnam is 'banh phu the' or husband and wife cake! The cake is usually served at weddings, though in the past, sometimes a suitor would also present this cake to his intended beloved. To make this cake, mung beans and tapioca flour are used along with pandan leaves, grated coconut and sugar. It usually has a greenish colour and glutinous texture and each square-shaped piece is typically placed in a box made from banana or coconut leaves.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
