“Eating bánh ít, drinking tea, watching people gamble, sometimes winning, sometimes losing.” – This Vietnamese proverb speaks to the popularity of bánh ít in Vietnamese culinary culture. Have you ever wondered how to make bánh ít? If not, let HỌC LÀM uncover the secrets of this rustic cake with you!
Bánh Ít: A Delicious Dish with Cultural Beauty
Bánh ít is a traditional Vietnamese cake made from glutinous rice flour, mung bean filling, and banana leaves. This cake has a subtly sweet taste, a fragrant aroma of banana leaves and mung beans, bringing a distinctive flavor of the homeland. Bánh ít is often enjoyed during holidays, ancestral anniversaries, or as a snack for the family.
Close-up of Banh It, Vietnamese sticky rice dumplings wrapped in banana leaves.
Learn How to Make Simple Bánh Ít at Home
To make bánh ít, you will need the following ingredients:
- Glutinous rice flour: 200g
- Mung beans: 100g
- Sugar: 100g
- Banana leaves: 10 leaves
- Coconut milk: 100ml
- Cooking oil: 1 tablespoon
Instructions for Making Bánh Ít:
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Prepare the ingredients:
- Wash mung beans thoroughly, soak in water for about 2 hours to soften. Then, steam the mung beans until cooked, mash them finely and mix well with sugar.
- Wash banana leaves, wipe dry, and cut into square pieces about 10cm x 10cm in size.
- Mix glutinous rice flour with coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, knead into a smooth and pliable dough.
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Shape the cakes:
- Divide the glutinous rice flour dough into small balls, then flatten each ball and place mung bean filling in the center.
- Wrap the cake with banana leaves, ensuring that the mung bean filling is completely enclosed by the glutinous rice flour dough.
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Steam the cakes:
- Place the bánh ít in a steamer, steam for about 15-20 minutes until the cakes are cooked through.
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Enjoy:
- Bánh ít can be eaten hot or cold.
Secrets to Delicious Bánh Ít
According to the experience of Ms. Nguyễn Thị Lan, a renowned chef famous for traditional bánh ít, the secret to delicious bánh ít lies in choosing ingredients and the technique of wrapping the cakes.
- Choosing glutinous rice flour: Good glutinous rice flour is made from fragrant glutinous rice, with small and uniform grains.
- Choosing mung beans: Good mung beans have small, uniform grains, and are free from pests and diseases.
- Wrapping the cakes: Wrapping bánh ít requires skill, ensuring that the mung bean filling is completely enclosed by the glutinous rice flour dough and does not leak out.
- Steaming the cakes: Steam the cakes over medium heat, avoid steaming for too long or at too high a temperature, as this will make the cakes dry and hard.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making Bánh Ít
How to prevent bánh ít from cracking?
To prevent bánh ít from cracking, you need to note:
- Knead the dough thoroughly: Knead the dough thoroughly to make it smooth and pliable, not dry.
- Wrap the cakes carefully: Wrap the cakes carefully, making sure that the mung bean filling is not exposed.
- Steam the cakes at the right temperature: Steam the cakes at a moderate temperature, avoid steaming too hot or too long.
How to make bánh ít have a beautiful color?
To make bánh ít have a beautiful color, you can use mature banana leaves, which have a dark green color. In addition, you can also use coconut milk or a little food coloring to create color for the cakes.
How long can bánh ít be stored?
Bánh ít can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. However, for the best taste, you should eat bánh ít within 24 hours after steaming.
Learn More About Traditional Vietnamese Cakes
Want to explore more traditional Vietnamese cakes? Try learning how to make meat-filled buns or how to study technology subject well in grade 6.
Try making bánh ít today and share your results with HỌC LÀM!