Bánh rán facts for kids
A container of bánh rán, just out of the hot cooking oil.
|
|
| Type | Deep-fried glutinous rice ball |
|---|---|
| Course | Tea, Snack |
| Place of origin | Vietnam |
| Region or state | North Vietnam |
Bánh rán is a yummy deep-fried treat from northern Vietnam. It's a type of Vietnamese dish that looks like a ball made of rice. In the Vietnamese language, bánh means a food like a cake or pastry. The word rán means "fried."
The outside of a bánh rán is made from glutinous rice flour. It is covered all over with tiny white sesame seeds. Inside, it has a sweet filling made from mung bean paste. This paste is often flavored with the lovely smell of jasmine flowers.
Traditionally, the sweet filling is separate from the outer shell. This means if you gently shake a bánh rán, you might feel the filling move around inside!
Sweet or Savory?
Most people know bánh rán as a sweet snack. However, in northern Vietnam, there is also a savory (salty) version! This kind of bánh rán has a different filling. It can be made with minced pork, wood-ear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles. It also has carrots, salt, and pepper. This savory mix is blended with raw egg to make a soft filling. The savory bánh rán is usually served with a sweet and sour chili sauce. This sauce often has sliced radish or papaya in it.
A Similar Treat: Bánh Cam
In southern Vietnam, there is a very similar dish called bánh cam. It looks almost exactly like bánh rán. The main difference is that bánh cam does not usually have the jasmine flower smell. Also, for bánh cam, the filling does not need to be separate from the shell.
Another difference is how they are eaten. The northern bánh rán is often enjoyed with a sugary syrup poured over it. This syrup makes the pastry even sweeter!
Bánh Rán and Dorayaki
Did you know that bánh rán is also the Vietnamese word for the Japanese sweet called dorayaki? Dorayaki is a famous pancake-like dessert. It became very well-known around the world because of the Japanese manga and anime character Doraemon.
Images for kids
-
A friendly robot
