Bánh facts for kids
Bánh bèo, bột lọc, and nem chua
|
|
| Type | Cakes and breads |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Vietnam |
| Region or state | Southeast Asia |
| Main ingredients | Usually rice flour, wheat flour, pressed glutinous rice, or tapioca |
| Similar dishes | Mont, Khanom, Kue, Kuih |
| Bánh | |
|---|---|
| Vietnamese name | |
| Vietnamese alphabet | bánh |
| Chữ Nôm | 餅 |
In Vietnam, the word bánh is used for many different kinds of food. It's often translated as "cake" or "bread," but it means much more! Think of it as a general word for tasty treats you can easily eat with your hands or chopsticks.
Bánh can be sweet or savory. It comes in many forms like cakes, buns, pastries, and even sandwiches. These foods can be cooked in different ways, such as steaming, baking, frying, or boiling. Most bánh are made from wheat flour or rice flour. But the word can also describe some types of noodles or fish cakes.
Each type of bánh has another word after it to describe what it is. For example, bánh bò means "cow cake," and bánh chuối means "banana cake." If a bánh is wrapped in leaves before it's steamed, it's called bánh lá, which means "leaf cakes."
The word bánh isn't just for Vietnamese food. It's also used for foods from other countries. For example, a fortune cookie is called bánh may mắn. Pudding is bánh pudding, and a Hamburger is bánh Hamburger.
Sometimes, the word bánh can even refer to things that aren't food but have a similar shape to a cake. For instance, car tires are called bánh xe!
Contents
Awesome Bánh Varieties
There are so many kinds of bánh! Here are some of the most popular and traditional ones you might find.
Noodle Bánh
- Bánh canh: These are thick, chewy noodles made from tapioca. They are cut from a big sheet.
- Bánh hỏi: These are super thin noodles. They are woven into cool patterns and often served with green onions and meat.
- Bánh phở: These are flat, thin noodles made from rice flour. They are used in the famous Vietnamese soup, phở.
Dumpling Bánh
- Bánh bao: A soft, round bun usually filled with pork or other tasty ingredients.
- Bánh bột lọc: A clear, chewy tapioca cake often filled with shrimp.
- Bánh bột lọc lá: Small rice flour dumplings with shrimp and pork, wrapped in a banana leaf.
- Bánh cam: A deep-fried, round sticky rice ball. It's filled with sweet mung bean paste and covered in sesame seeds.
- Bánh rán: Similar to Bánh cam, these are deep-fried sticky rice balls from northern Vietnam.
- Bánh tẻ: A small, steamed rice cake wrapped in a special leaf. It's long and thin.
Pancake Bánh
- Bánh bèo: Small, savory steamed rice cakes. They are often served with a yummy sauce.
- Bánh căn: A southern Vietnamese specialty. These are small pancakes cooked in tiny clay pans.
- Bánh xèo: A crispy, fried rice pancake. It's often filled with shrimp and pork.
Roll Bánh
- Bánh cuốn: A delicate steamed rice roll. It's very soft and often filled with minced pork and mushrooms.
- Bánh tôm: Shrimp patties.
- Bánh tôm Hồ Tây: A special shrimp patty from Hanoi. It's made with deep-fried sweet potatoes and shrimp.
Bread and Sandwich Bánh
- Bánh mì: This is the famous Vietnamese baguette! It's often used to make delicious sandwiches.
- Bánh mì Sài Gòn: This is the popular Vietnamese sandwich, often called a "Vietnamese sub."
Sweet Bánh Treats
- Bánh bò: A "cow cake" made from sticky rice flour and coconut milk. It has a cool honeycomb texture inside.
- Bánh da lợn: A colorful steamed cake with many layers. It's made from tapioca starch, rice flour, and coconut milk.
- Bánh chuối: A sweet banana cake.
- Bánh trung thu: These are special moon cakes eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Special Occasion Bánh
- Bánh chưng: A square-shaped steamed sticky rice dumpling. It's wrapped in a special leaf and often eaten during the Vietnamese New Year (Tet).
- Bánh tét: A log-shaped sticky rice cake. It's wrapped in a banana leaf and can have meat or vegetarian fillings. Also popular during Tet.
Other Interesting Bánh
- Bánh bông lan: This is a light and fluffy sponge cake.
- Bánh cốm: A green rice cake made from young green rice flakes and a sweet mung bean filling.
- Bánh đậu xanh: A sweet paste made from mung beans.
- Bánh giầy: A white, flat, round sticky rice cake. It has a chewy texture and can be served with Vietnamese sausage.
- Bánh phồng tôm: These are crispy prawn crackers, a popular snack!
- Bánh pía: A type of pastry with a flaky crust, often filled with durian or mung bean.
- Pa tê sô: A French-inspired pastry with a flaky crust, usually filled with pork or chicken.
See also
In Spanish: Bánh para niños
