Bánh ú bá trạng is a traditional cake of the Chinese people that often appears during Tết Đoan Ngọ. The cake is quite similar to the Vietnamese bánh ú, but the filling is made from various ingredients and has a richer flavor. Join TasteVN in the kitchen to learn 3 recipes for this cake and give it a try!
1. Bánh ú bá trạng chóp
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Preparation
1 hour
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Cooking
4 hours
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Bánh ú bá trạng chóp For 10 cakes
Mung beans 200 gr Lotus seeds 200 gr Glutinous rice 900 gr Dried shiitake mushrooms 8 pieces Chinese sausage 100 gr Pork belly 250 gr Salted eggs 10 pieces Dried shrimp 50 gr Shallots 1 tablespoon Banana leaves 500 gr Five-spice powder 1/4 teaspoon Cooking oil 4.5 tablespoons Seasoning a little (salt/sugar/seasoning powder/pepper/oyster sauce) White wine a little (to wash salted eggs)
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose fresh and delicious pork belly
- Delicious pork belly has a balanced ratio of fat and meat, so when you enjoy it, you will not feel greasy from too much fat or too dry from having too much lean meat.
- You should choose meat with a thick outer skin, a layer of fat that is 1.5cm – 2cm thick, and the lean meat tightly attached to the fatty part. However, to achieve the best taste, you should not buy meat with an outer skin that is too thick because that is from pigs that have been raised for a long time, which will not be tasty.
- Pay attention to the color of the pork; good pork belly has a dry outer skin, with bright red or pink color. The meat after being cut has a beautiful light pink color, with soft white-pink skin. The fat interspersed with the meat is bright white and firm.
- Fresh and delicious meat will have a distinctive smell; when buying pork, you should pay attention; if the meat has an unusual smell, it’s best to avoid buying it.
- The elasticity of pork belly is very good, so you should check it carefully before buying. Press your hand into the meat; if the indentation returns to its original state quickly, that is good pork.
How to choose delicious sausage
- Color: Sausage that does not use food coloring will have a pinkish-red color, bright and show the translucency of the meat inside.
- Smell: If there is a characteristic aroma from wine, spices, and pepper, it indicates that the sausage is delicious.
- The outer casing of the sausage: Sausage often uses pig intestines for the casing. Therefore, when buying, you should pay attention to whether this casing is dry or shows signs of mold.
- Meat filling: The filling when sliced should have a tightly attached casing, smooth meat, uniform color, and delicious taste.
- In addition, you should choose to buy branded sausage products on the market, carefully packaged, and vacuum-sealed to prevent mold and bacteria.
How to choose delicious dried shiitake mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms that are not broken, bright in color, and show no signs of mold.
- In addition, you should buy mushrooms from reputable food/dry goods suppliers to ensure safety.
Tools needed
Electric pressure cooker, knife, cutting board, bowl, pan, pot, coir string…
How to prepare Bá Trạng Chóp Cake
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Cook lotus seeds
First, wash the lotus seeds thoroughly and remove the inner part.
Place a pot on the stove, add the lotus seeds, a little water just enough to cover the surface of the seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover tightly and cook the lotus seeds over medium heat for about 15 minutes until they are slightly soft.
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Prepare and marinate pork belly
Wash the pork belly, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Tip: Depending on the number of cakes you need to wrap, cut the corresponding amount of meat pieces.Put the cut meat into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, a little pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of five-spice powder. Mix well so that the meat absorbs the spices and marinate for 30 minutes.
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Prepare the remaining ingredients
Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for 15 minutes until soft. Similarly, soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water at 60 degrees until the mushrooms are soft and then rinse clean.
After rinsing the mushrooms, use your hands to squeeze them very hard to remove excess water, then cut them in half.
Next, cut the Chinese sausage into many pieces about 1/2 the thickness of a small finger.
Rinse the salted egg with alcohol to remove the fishy smell, then rinse it again and let it drain.
How to soak shiitake mushrooms properly- You can soak shiitake mushrooms in warm water from 60 – 80 degrees Celsius or you can also boil the mushrooms in boiling water for about 3 – 5 minutes to save time.
- However, no matter how you soak the mushrooms, you should still gently rub them with your hands to remove all dirt.
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Prepare mung beans
Soak the mung beans for 2 – 3 hours until soft, then rinse them clean and let them drain.
Next, add 1 teaspoon of seasoning to the bowl of mung beans and mix well.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, mix the beans with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and marinate for 5 minutes.
Tip: If you don’t have a microwave at home, you can stir-fry the beans to soften them more.
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Sauté the ingredients
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, and 1 tablespoon of shallots.
When the shallots start to turn slightly golden, add in dried shrimp, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and a little pepper. Stir well over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
Next, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and the marinated meat to the pan. Fry the meat over low heat, turning it regularly until it is cooked evenly, then transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.
Then, add the boiled lotus seeds to the pan, 1/3 teaspoon of seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Stir the lotus seeds over low heat until they absorb the seasoning, then transfer them to a bowl.
Next, add 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil, the prepared mushrooms, 1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and a little pepper to the pan. Sauté until the mushrooms are cooked and absorb the seasoning.
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Prepare the sticky rice
Wash the sticky rice thoroughly, then soak it in warm water at 60 degrees for 30 minutes or overnight to soften.
Drain the soaking water and let the sticky rice dry. Then, add the sticky rice to a pan along with 500ml of water, 1 tablespoon of seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Mix the sticky rice mixture over medium heat until the water evaporates, then turn off the heat.
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Prepare the banana leaves
Wash each banana leaf thoroughly, then heat them on the stove to dry and soften the leaves. Next, cut the leaves into several pieces measuring 30 x 30 cm.
Tip: When the leaf surface is shiny, it indicates that the banana leaf has softened.
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Wrapping the cake
Stack 2 pieces of banana leaves on top of each other, with the shiny sides facing outwards.
Then, fold the banana leaves diagonally into a triangle, folding the two side edges to form a funnel shape.
Next, evenly spread about 2 tablespoons of sticky rice inside the leaves, leaving a small hole in the middle for the filling.
Then, add 1 tablespoon of mung beans, 1 tablespoon of lotus seeds, 1 piece of shiitake mushroom, 1 piece of meat, a few dried shrimp, a little Chinese sausage, and 1 salted egg.
Next, spread 1 tablespoon of lotus seeds, 1 tablespoon of mung beans, and 1 tablespoon of sticky rice on top.
Finally, cover with 2 small pieces of banana leaves, then fold the edges of the cake tightly and tie them with a string.
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Boiling the cake
Place the leftover banana leaves in the pressure cooker, then place the wrapped cakes on top and pour in enough water to cover the surface of the cakes.
Next, boil the cakes on the lowest heat for 2 hours. After 2 hours, open the lid, add more boiling water, and continue boiling the cakes for another hour.
When the hour is up, turn off the cooker and let the cakes rest in the pot for another 30 minutes to finish cooking.
Finally, take the cakes out and place them in a basket to cool and drain before enjoying.
Tip:- Add boiling water after the pot runs low on water to avoid the cakes becoming hard.
- If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you need to boil the cakes for 5 – 6 hours to ensure the sticky rice is cooked and soft.
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Final product
Bánh ú bá trạng has a soft and chewy outer layer, just right to eat, while the filling inside is rich, blending the buttery flavor with a slight sweetness from the nutritious ingredients.
2. Bánh ú bá trạng dragon boat
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Preparation
1 hour
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Cooking
4 hours
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Bánh ú bá trạng dragon boat For 11 cakes
Glutinous rice 660 gr Chicken thigh 450 gr Salted eggs 11 eggs Peanuts 100 gr Cornstarch 1 teaspoon Dried shrimp 30 gr Fresh shiitake mushrooms 100 gr Dried bamboo leaves 40 leaves Baking soda 1/8 teaspoon Minced garlic 1.5 tablespoons Soy sauce 3 teaspoons Dark soy sauce 1.5 teaspoons Oyster sauce 1 teaspoon Five-spice powder 1/4 teaspoon Cooking oil 4 tablespoons Seasoning a little (salt/sugar/pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh chicken
- It is advisable to choose chicken with white skin, as this indicates older chicken which has tastier and firmer meat, while younger chicken tends to have softer meat.
- Use your hand to press the meat to check; if the meat is firm and elastic, it is good chicken. If the meat is mushy, slippery, deformed, or has dents, it is better not to buy it to avoid health risks.
- Avoid choosing chicken that has a spoiled or unpleasant smell.
How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
- It is advisable to choose mushrooms with appropriately sized caps, tightly closed, a distinctive fragrant smell, and a slightly brownish-yellow color. If you see very dark brown mushrooms, it is better not to buy them, as they may be toxic.
- Avoid choosing mushrooms that are bruised, have a rotten smell, or have cuts oozing white milky substance, as these are signs of toxic mushrooms.
- Additionally, do not choose those with dark spots, slimy texture, or wrinkles on the cap. Fresh mushrooms will have a thin, paper-like layer on the top.
Required tools
Electric pressure cooker, knife, cutting board, bowl, pan, pot, coir rope…
How to make Dragon Boat Sticky Rice Cake
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Prepare and marinate the chicken
Wash the chicken thoroughly, then cut it into bite-sized pieces about 2.5cm.
In a bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon of five-spice powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and the prepared chicken breast.
Next, use your hands to mix well so that the chicken absorbs the seasonings and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
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Prepare the bamboo leaves
Wash the bamboo leaves thoroughly, then soak the leaves in warm water overnight. After soaking, rinse the leaves once more and use a clean towel to dry both sides.
Next, use scissors to cut off the hard tip of the leaf stem.
Finally, gently bend the middle vein of the leaf to soften it; this will prevent the leaves from tearing when wrapping the cake.
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Prepare the sticky rice
Rinse the sticky rice thoroughly, then soak for about 5 hours or overnight to soften.
After soaking, rinse the sticky rice again and let it drain.
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Prepare other ingredients
Put 100g of peanuts, 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda, and enough water to cover the surface of the peanuts into a bowl. Then, soak the peanuts for 2 – 4 hours and rinse them with clean water.
Next, soak the dried shrimp in water for 1 hour, then rinse thoroughly and drain.
Wash the shiitake mushrooms, drain them, and then cut them into small pieces. Next, marinate the mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
Finally, wash the salted eggs with alcohol, then rinse with clean water and let them drain.
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Marinate the sticky rice with peanuts
Put 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce into a bowl and mix well.
Next, mix the peanuts and sticky rice with the marinade mixture you just prepared.
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Sauté the ingredients
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. When the garlic is aromatic, add the shiitake mushrooms and sauté over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a separate bowl.
Continue by adding 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant. Then, add the soaked dried shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, stir well for about 1 minute and then transfer to a bowl.
Next, similarly sauté the garlic for the chicken, cooking for 3 minutes until the meat is firm.
For the sticky rice, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1.5 teaspoons of minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Then, add the peanut sticky rice mixture and stir well over medium heat for 4 minutes.
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Wrap the cake
For each cake, you will use a total of 3 bamboo leaves. Of these, 2 leaves will be used to create a funnel to hold the cake and the remaining leaf will be used to wrap the cake tightly.
First, fold one leaf in half, then fold one side of the left edge back to create the sticky rice edge.
Note: When folding to create the edge, you only need to fold a little, do not fold into the middle of the leaf vein as it will tear the leaf.
Final Product
Banh U Ba Trang Dragon Boat has a unique shape compared to the traditional version. The cake shell is chewy and soft, with a nutty flavor from peanuts, and the filling inside is well-seasoned, rich with salted egg flavor, extremely delicious.
3. Banh Ba Trang (Recipe shared from TikTok Cooking with TasteVN)
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Preparation
1 hour
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Cooking
3 hours
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Difficulty
Difficult
Ingredients for Bá Trạng Cake (Recipe shared from TikTok Cooking with TasteVN) Serves 2 – 3 people
Banana leaves 1 kg Pork belly 500 gr Shallots 1 tablespoon Sugar 1 tablespoon Soy sauce 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce 1 teaspoon Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Glutinous rice 2 kg Cashew nuts 100 gr Salted eggs 10 eggs Dried shrimp 100 gr Peeled mung beans 1 kg Shiitake mushrooms 20 gr
Ingredient Images
Tools Required
How to Make Bá Trạng Cake (Recipe shared from TikTok Cooking with TasteVN)
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Steaming Banana Leaves
Wash the banana leaves, dry them, and then steam for 3 minutes. Soak the glutinous rice overnight after purchasing.
<img alt="Step 1 Steaming banana leaves for Bá Trạng Cake (Recipe shared from TikTok Cooking with TasteVN)" class="lazy" data-picid="235873" src="https://cdn.tgdd.vn/2023/09/CookRecipe/GalleryStep/hap-la-chu
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Making the filling
You put 500g of pork belly, 1 tablespoon of shallots, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce into a bowl. Mix well and marinate the meat for 30 minutes.
In addition to the meat filling, you can also prepare cashew nuts, salted eggs, shiitake mushrooms, and dried shrimp!
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Wrapping the cake
You wrap the banana leaves into a funnel shape, then add a layer of sticky rice, followed by a layer of mung beans and then the filling, after that cover the filling with a layer of mung beans and then a layer of sticky rice, and finally wrap the cake again, using string to tie it.
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Boiling bánh bá trạng
After wrapping the bánh, place it into a pressure cooker and fill it with water to halfway, then simmer for 1 hour.
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Final Product
The bánh bá trạng is soft and chewy, with a delicious filling that combines a nutty flavor, richness, and a slight sweetness from nutritious ingredients. This is sure to be a dish loved by many; I wish you success in making it!
How to choose good sticky rice
- Choose sticky rice grains that are large, evenly sized, opaque white, shiny on the outside, and not broken.
- Do not choose sticky rice grains that are dusty, have mold, or are yellow in color.
- In addition, good sticky rice will have a natural, distinctive aroma. On the other hand, sticky rice that has been stored for too long will often lose its smell and will not retain its deliciousness when cooked.
- You can taste the sticky rice; if it has a light sweetness and no strange smell, then it is good sticky rice.
- You can refer to good types of sticky rice such as: yellow flower sticky rice, Tu Le sticky rice, Dien Bien glutinous rice, goose sticky rice, and velvet sticky rice.
How to choose good dried shrimp
- Choose shrimp that are naturally orange on the outside, turning yellow on the inside, with a color that is not too bright, and not moldy black or white.
- When picked up, they should feel dry, not too moist, as shrimp can easily mold when stored.
- It is best to buy dried shrimp from reputable places; for canned varieties, you should check the expiration date and origin to ensure safety and quality.
- Additionally, you can also easily make dried shrimp at home with the recipe shared below.
How to choose good salted eggs
- Choose eggs with intact shells, without cracks or mold.
- You can shine a light on the eggs or hold them up to sunlight. If the egg white is clear, and the yolk is small and close to the shell, it is of good quality.
- When cracking the egg, if you find the egg white is cloudy, the yolk is thin and has an unpleasant smell, you should discard this egg.
With the detailed sharing formula above, TasteVN hopes you can clearly grasp how to make 3 delicious and unique bánh ú bá trạng for the Đoan Ngọ Festival!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Vanh Khuyen Le and Thuy Do Michigan
*Explore many delicious recipes on the TikTok channel Vào bếp cùng TasteVN!
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