🧆Banh Khot is a great must-try snack on the trip to Vung Tau beach, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. For this cake type, diners are smitten not only by its delicious taste but also by its very strange and unique name. Banh Khot is very popular in the southern provinces, but if you want to enjoy the most delicious taste, you must go to Vung Tau.==========================================🍤1. A type of cake with a special name
When taking the cake out of the mold, it is necessary to use a flat spoon to push the cake up, the spoon in contact with the cast-iron mold will make a “khot khot” sound. That’s the reason why it was called “Banh khot”.There is also another explanation for the meaning of this name: in the past, the poor did not have money to buy meat and fish but only used flour to make cakes. Therefore, people named that type of cake “khộp” (meaning poor after the ancient word). Over time, the word “khop” reads as “khọt” and the name Banh khot has been kept until now.🍤2. How to make Banh khot
Banh Khot is a rustic dish but it requires delicate processing. The main ingredients for making cakes include rice flour and shrimp. Rice flour must be pure, unadulterated, milled from the night before, and left overnight so that the flour does not become mushy or runny. Then, the flour is mixed with water and coconut milk to increase the fat, you can add eggs so that the cake is neither too thick nor too friable. It’s because the cake will be thick and hard if the dough is thick; If the dough is too loose, it will make the cake thin and less crispy.The main ingredient of the filling is fresh shrimp. Shrimp is removed from the heads, peeled, washed, and drained, then marinated with spices and stir-fried with onions and garlic until it smells good. Besides, people also add grilled and grounded shrimp (shrimps are finely ground and then stir-fried on a pan at low heat until they are slightly dry) to add color and increase the sweet and aromatic flavor of the Khot cakes. In addition, people also use squid and octopus to make Banh khot to increase the variety of flavors.
After preparing the ingredients, it is time to make the cake. To make a banh khot with moderate crispiness and softness, the meticulousness and high skill of the cook are required. First, people pour a layer of oil or lard into the mold and then put a moderate amount of flour on the face of the mold. Next is to add fresh shrimp in the middle, then cover the mold and wait for about 15 minutes until the cake turns yellow. Finally, the cake is put on a plate and sprinkled with grilled and grounded shrimp and scallion oil.Banh Khot is usually made on site to ensure it is always hot. Each spoon of flour is quickly poured into the mold by the cook. The sound of frying the dough that sounds a little funny plus the attractive aroma will make visitors both excited and anxious to enjoy this cake.Whether Banh khot is delicious or not, depends a lot on the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce will be mixed with fish sauce, sugar, salt, and lemon so that it is not too salty but slightly sweet and a bit sour. Besides, people also prepare some papaya, shredded carrots as well as some garlic and chili for dipping sauce.🍤3. How to eat Banh khotA full serving of Banh khot includes cakes and accompanying dishes such as dipping sauce, raw vegetables including mustard greens, lettuce, perilla, lettuce. As soon as the plate of Banh khot is served, visitors will be impressed with the beauty of the cake. The shiny, eye-catching bright yellow color of the cake base is dotted with attractive fresh shrimp.
This dish attracts visitors thanks to not only its external appearance but also its attractive taste inside. When enjoying, diners pick up a cake and put it in a large cabbage leaf, add some raw vegetables, then roll it up and dip it into a bowl of chili sauce. The first impression is the cake dough’s crispy taste that melts quickly in the mouth, then the fleshy taste of shrimp mixed with the aroma of scallion oil, a little sourness, and sweetness of the fish sauce, and the freshness of vegetables. All will make you get the whole plate of cake in your belly.According to locals, no one knows when Banh khot appeared in Vung Tau, they only know that it originated from Banh can of Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa regions. Migrants to Vung Tau brought with them Banh can which is a dish originating from the cuisine of the Cham people. Gradually, the Vung Tau people changed Banh can to suit the ingredients and taste of the locals and called it Banh khot.Banh Khot is as idyllic as the people’s lives, but always attracts tourists. The price of a banh khot plate is about VND 25,000/plate of 10 pieces.🍤4. Best banh khot shops in Vung Tau
Banh Khot has become a specialty of Vung Tau, so you can easily find this dish from street eateries to luxury restaurants. Here’re the most famous, most noteworthy addresses for Banh khot:🧂 Banh Khot Ms. Ba: 01 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ward 3, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Vu Sua: 14 Nguyen Truong To, Ward 2, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Ms. Huong: 84A Hoang Hoa Tham, Ward 2, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot 209: 06 Nguyen Trong Quan, Ward 8, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Cay Sung Ms. Hai: 42 Tran Dong, Ward 3, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Ms. Hai: 17 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ward 3, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Ut Loan: 67 Ba Trieu, Ward 4, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Mien Dong: 59 Ba Trieu, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Cay Da: 21 Ly Thuong Kiet, Vung Tau City.🧂 Banh Khot Cay Tre: 8B Luong Van Can, Ward 2, Vung Tau City.In Vung Tau, people consider Banh khot as a breakfast dish, while others consider it a snack in the evening or a delicious main meal. Perhaps that’s why Banh khot has become a “cannot be missed” dish of tourists when coming to Vung Tau and the pride of Vung Tau people in Vietnam’s unique culinary picture.
