Loaf Cake, Gourd Cake and More Delights

Discover the unique flavors of gourd cake and loaf cake today!

Loaf Cake – Gourd Cake

From Quang Nam to Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh, bánh đúc undergoes a transformation, with its main flavor changing significantly. Tapioca starch replaces lime water, coconut milk is introduced, and spices such as salt and pepper are added. The dough is stirred until thickened over the fire and then poured into a mold to steam, rather than being cooked and allowed to solidify as in the North. 

Some people prefer to make a large loaf, while others create many small loaves, each the size of a hand and wrapped in banana leaves. This variation is called bánh ổ mặn, which translates to “savory loaf cake,” a name as rustic and honest as bánh đúc.

For some reason, the loaf cake mysteriously disappeared from the four coastal provinces of South Central Vietnam, from Phu Yen to Binh Thuan, only to reappear in the South. As a South Central Vietnamese, I suspect that the loaf cake couldn’t compete with its tough, crispy cousin, bánh căn, which is made using the Cham-style clay ovens popular in these provinces.

In the South, the loaf cake has become more appealing, often served with shrimp floss, scallion oil, and sweet and sour fish sauce. Recently, modern versions of the loaf cake have been colored with a hint of purple from magenta leaves, making it both visually pleasing and delicious.

Cooking expert Trieu Thi Choi created her loaf cake with a topping of stir-fried shrimp and meat with diced cassava (Complete Cooking Techniques, Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House, 2005, p. 878). This topping was likely influenced by bánh bột, or flour cake, from Chaozhou immigrants in the South. Both are made from rice flour mixed with tapioca starch and poured into a round mold, making flour cake quite similar in appearance to loaf cake.

However, there are three major differences between the two. First, flour cake does not contain coconut milk. Second, the topping for flour cake is seasoned with oyster sauce and soy sauce, whereas loaf cake uses salt, sugar, pepper, and fish sauce. Third, flour cake is not served with a dipping sauce, while loaf cake is always paired with sweet and sour fish sauce. As a result, Vietnamese loaf cake and Chinese flour cake remain worlds apart in terms of aroma and taste.

Speaking of the influence of Chinese cakes, Hai Phong has bánh đúc tàu. Compared to the traditional bánh đúc in the North, bánh đúc tàu differs in its ingredients and toppings. Mixed with tapioca starch instead of lime water, bánh đúc tàu is softer, chewier, and less crispy than bánh đúc. The topping includes braised shrimp and meat, stir-fried wood-ear mushrooms, and boiled kohlrabi pieces seasoned with annatto oil. The vinegar and sugar fish sauce has a more sour taste compared to the sweeter fish sauce of the loaf cake in the South.

In the Mekong Delta region, there is a dish called bánh bầu, or gourd cake, which is the younger sibling of loaf cake. It differs from its older sister by having gourd slices inside the cake. Gourd? Yes, you heard it right! This ancient dish was nearly lost in Vinh Chau town (Soc Trang), but was luckily revived by Mrs. Huynh Ngoc Lan, who won a gold medal for it at the 2018 Southern Traditional Cake Festival.

Ms. Lan uses shredded young gourd, squeezed dry and mixed with rice flour while stirring over the fire. Her steamed gourd cakes resemble the Mekong Delta’s bánh cóng, which are shaped in small cups. The cake is soft, with chewy and cool gourd shreds. The fragrant coconut milk pairs perfectly with the sweet and sour fish sauce, topped with fresh shrimp floss and green scallions. Some people also steam or stir-fry squash before mixing it with the flour.

According to Ms. Huynh Ngoc Lan, gourd cake is a creation of three communities: Vietnamese, Chinese, and Khmer, who have lived together for centuries in Vinh Chau. Thanks to her love and passion for traditional cakes, gourd cake, a unique dish that blends many cultures, has come back to life.

Bánh Đúc with Duck and Jelly Cake

In Quang Tri, there are two unique dishes that, while not very similar to bánh đúc, are still called bánh đúc. These are bánh đúc with duck meat and jelly cake.

Dai An Khe village in Quang Tri province has a tradition of cooking bánh đúc with duck meat using ancient rice varieties that had a thick layer of nutritious bran. Nowadays, these types of rice have disappeared, so villagers use old Khang Dan and R38 rice as substitutes.

Fried shallots in hot oil give off a fragrant aroma. The rice rhythmically waltzes around in the pot, turning a dreamy pale yellow. Minced duck meat mixed with spices is added to the rice and the meaty duck broth. The rice slowly expands, absorbing the umami of the broth. 

When the rice is cooked, two large chopsticks perform a joyful dance to beat the rice until it is as smooth as porridge. The mixture is poured onto a tray, cooled, sprinkled with chopped green shallots, and cut into pieces. The cake is dipped in a special local sauce made from sesame and crushed roasted peanuts called chẻo.

Along Cua Tung beach in Quang Tri province, undulating rocky outcrops jut out into the sea. In the summer, thin hook algae cover the rocks with a rustic brown color. The algae strands are picked, washed, and boiled in water to create a shimmering moss-green mixture. Small bowls lined with ramie leaves are prepared. The jelly is poured into them, congealing into small, pretty round cakes. The thick white fur on the back of the leaves prevents the jelly from sticking.

Cua Tung people dip jelly cakes in their hometown Quang Tri shrimp paste. The shrimp paste is salty, slightly sweet, a bit sour, and a little spicy. The jelly cakes are crispy and chewy, with a faint smell of seaweed, like a favorite food of mermaids.

Indeed, there are many delightful versions of bánh đúc from the North to the South of Vietnam. Each locality adds its own unique twist, influenced by local specialties and cultural heritage. While we cherish the version we’ve known since childhood, it’s wonderful to open our hearts to the regional variations. This diversity enriches our love for cuisine and celebrates the vibrant tapestry of flavors across Vietnam.

mlefood – Minh Lê