Vietnamese Rice Cakes in Banana Leaves
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Banh chung
Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham and are part of our story on Lunar New Year.
Almost synonymous to Tet, the lunar new year, banh chung is a highly regarded food in Vietnam. It's said to have originated centuries ago when King Hung Vuong VI challenged his many sons that whoever came up with the best recipe for Tet would inherit his throne.
The eldest one, eager to impress his father, traveled far and wide to procure the most exotic recipes. But the youngest son, the shy and quiet one, stayed close to home and cooked a dish based on a dream. A genie had told him to take sticky rice (which symbolized earth), wrap it around a ball of mung bean paste (which represented the sun), then boil it for one day and one night. Upon tasting the dish and hearing the story, the king was so impressed he proclaimed his youngest son the heir to his throne and ordered the recipe to be shared with all commoners.
Since that day, banh chung has enjoyed a central place in Vietnamese culture — at the family table and on the ancestor worship altar. Since it's considered taboo to work or cook during the first three days of Tet, these cakes are usually made before the festivities begin. Serve this dish at room temperature with a side of salt and pepper or reheat slightly in the microwave and serve as part of a meal.
Mai Pham says the rice cakes will feel "plump and soft" when they are finished cooking. You can reduce the cooking time to about four hours by precooking the rice. Pham says to toast the soaked, drained rice in a nonstick pan over medium heat until it is dry and looks opaque.
