Banh beo cup is one of the famous specialties of Hue. Cups of soft, white banh beo, eaten with pureed shrimp and a little fragrant fried onion, are a delicate afternoon treat enough to warm the bellies of diners near and far.
In Ho Chi Minh City, this dish is varied and served with delicious and strange crab rolls, bringing both traditional Hue cuisine and suiting the taste of Saigon people.
The preparation of banh beo with crab rolls is quite simple and similar to traditional banh beo. Banh beo is made from rice flour, poured into small bowls similar to grilled eggs and steamed in a large pot.
After this cake is soft, the seller will add crab cakes, onion fat and minced meat on top, add a little sweet and spicy fish sauce and shredded carrots and kohlrabi to enjoy. In particular, crab cakes are not made into large pieces but are cut into small pieces, ground with minced meat, seasoned with a little seasoning and stir-fried first.
Although the processing is quite simple, the selection of ingredients is extremely complicated. Plain rice must be good rice, pureed and mixed into powder before cooking for a long time so that the powder can rest. When cooking, the maker must also carefully adjust the fire so that the cake is cooked until it is soft and the dough is not raw or crumbly.
When eating, diners will feel the strong aroma of crab and rich minced meat. Many people think that the taste of crab and meat does not match, but in fact, this flavor makes many people love it because it is unique, different from traditional banh beo that only has ground shrimp.
If you are afraid that the banh beo will be bland and boring, diners can drizzle it with fish sauce and eat it with sour foods.
Still retaining the beauty of the Hue people's way of eating when they only eat enough, "eating scents, eating flowers", a bowl of banh beo will have quite a bit. To fully enjoy and avoid addiction, diners usually order about 10 - 20 portions of cake at a time.
One of the famous addresses selling banh beo with crab rolls in Ho Chi Minh City is Ms. Tien's banh beo at Nguyen Van Troi market, Le Van Sy street, District 3. The shop has existed for nearly 55 years and is loved by many customers. Because wherever you order, the owner will make it. The cake is both hot and delicious, suitable for the taste of Saigon people.
Banh beo at the shop is only about 2,500 VND/bowl, suitable for students' budgets, meeting all the criteria of delicious, nutritious, and cheap for an afternoon gift.
