What do banana flakes need to retain their full flavor?
Banana cốm is a simple way to enjoy, combining two familiar dishes of Hanoi autumn. Young green cốm has a mild aroma, light sweetness and characteristic flexibility; ripe bananas are soft, fragrant, and naturally sweet. When eaten together, the sweetness of bananas highlights the cốm flavor without adding sugar or any spices.
To make the dish delicious, you should choose new cốm, flat seeds, natural green color, with a light aroma of young rice. Delicious cốm usually has moderate softness and chewiness, not too dry or crumbly. Bananas should be chosen that are ripe, with even yellow peels, and firm fruits so that they are not mushy when cut.
You can use banana pepper or banana tây depending on your preference. However, bananas should not be too ripe because the strong sweetness will overwhelm the cốm flavor. If the cốm is slightly dry, just leave it at room temperature for a while to soften naturally, avoid getting wet because water can make the cốm lose its flexibility and aroma.
How to eat banana flakes to feel the taste of Hanoi autumn?
The simplest way to eat is to cut bananas into bite-sized slices, place them next to or interspersed with young rice flakes on a plate. When enjoying, take a little young rice flakes and eat it with a piece of banana, chew slowly to feel the harmony between the soft sweetness of the fruit and the chewy aroma of young rice.
Do not mix bananas with cốm for too long before eating. Bananas have natural moisture, if left for too long, it can make cốm soft and bland, reducing flavor. It is best to use it as soon as you prepare, especially when enjoying it in the morning or late afternoon.
Banana cốm is best when eaten at regular temperature, served with a cup of hot green tea. The mild astringent taste of tea helps balance the sweetness, while making the cốm flavor clearer. This is also a way to enjoy it that is suitable for the elegance of Hanoi autumn gifts.
No need to be fussy, a plate of green cốm with golden banana slices is enough to create a gentle afternoon gift. Slowly enjoying each piece is also a way to feel more clearly the sophistication and rusticness of Hanoi cuisine when the weather turns to autumn.
