Vietnamese starters grab foreign headlines

Banh cuon in the northern region is a top suggestion (Photo: Will Fly for Food)

Banh cuon (steamed rice roll), a northern Vietnamese dish that’s become popular throughout the country, is a top suggestion.

The rice rolls are made from a thin sheet of steamed fermented rice batter filled with seasoned ground pork and wood ear mushrooms.

Topped with herbs and fried shallots and served with a bowl of nuoc cham (Vietnamese fish sauce), they’re typically served with a side dish of gio lua (Vietnamese pork sausage), sliced cucumber, and bean sprouts.

Banh bao banh vac (white rose dumplings), a regional dish available only in Hoi An, is delicious and a must-try in central Vietnam. The recipe for this dish is a well-guarded secret that’s been kept in the family for three generations, it wrote.

The article also mentioned banh Hue which refers to a family of rice flour cakes popular in Hue and central Vietnam. Types of banh Hue include banh nam, banh loc, banh beo, banh ram it, banh uot, and cha tom.

They taste relatively similar – silky, soft, and loaded with umami, a travel blogger shared.

Banh cong is a popular dish in southern Vietnam. It’s a muffin-shaped snack made with mung beans, taro, and whole shrimp with their heads and shell still intact.

Bot chien, one of the most popular Vietnamese street food from Ho Chi Minh city, is another good suggestion for any traveler.

Bot chien is basically rice flour mixed with tapioca starch that’s steamed, cooled, and then cut into flat squares before being pan-fried in lard with some egg and green onions until it turns golden brown and crispy.

It’s served with a refreshing side of green papaya salad and a thickened sweet sauce to offset the oiliness.

VOV