-
Preparation
1 hour
-
Difficulty
Easy
Banquet cake – a traditional cake, one of the famous specialties of Quang Nam. Today, let TasteVN cook with you to explore the recipe for this delicious and distinctive cake!
Ingredients for Banquet Cake For 2 – 4 people
Glutinous rice flour 270 grams Brown sugar 150 grams Ginger 1 piece White sesame 30 grams
Ingredients image
Tools needed:
steamer, banana leaves (you can cut them from the tree or buy them at the market),…
How to make Banquet Cake
-
Make the banana leaf mold
Wash the banana leaves, use scissors to cut the banana leaves into pieces about 30cm wide or larger depending on the size of the cake.
Stack two banana leaves on top of each other, fold the corners diagonally in the vertical part, use a toothpick to secure the corner to keep the banana leaves from unraveling.
Continue to fold the corners diagonally in the horizontal part, use a toothpick to secure, and do this for all the banana leaves.
Note: You should choose fresh banana leaves, large size, and not discolored for easier cutting!
-
Cooking the steamed cake mixture
Peel the ginger, cut it into strips, and put it in a pot with 3 cups of water and brown sugar, then bring to a boil.
Gradually add all the glutinous rice flour while stirring to prevent clumping.
When the mixture flows in thick streams when lifting the ladle, it is ready.
-
Steaming the cake
Spread 1 tablespoon of cooking oil on the banana leaves, pour the steamed cake mixture into the mold, keeping 1 – 3 cm from the edge.
Then place the cake in a steamer and steam for about 30 – 45 minutes. When the cake is cooked, sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on top to finish.
-
Final product
The steamed cake may look simple, but it has a unique and delicious flavor.
When serving, cut the cake into small pieces to eat plain or with sugar.
Additionally, you can also fry the steamed cake for a tasty treat.
Information about the sticky rice cake:
- Origin of the sticky rice cake:
Sticky rice cake (niên cao) is a type of cake made from glutinous rice flour and is used as a dessert or cake for offerings in Chinese cuisine.
Although it can be eaten year-round, traditionally, it is most popular during the Tet holiday and is also eaten during the Tet Doan Ngo festival.
- Meaning of the name:
Eating sticky rice cake is considered lucky during this time, as niên cao is a homophone for “higher year” in Chinese.
Thus, eating niên cao symbolizes self-improvement in each new year.
- Introduction to Vietnam:
This cake was later introduced by the Chinese to Hoi An, Quang Nam province in the 16th – 17th centuries along with the “Ancient Town” architecture and has existed to this day.
It is a specialty dish with a long-standing tradition during Tet for the people of Quang.
Many localities in Quang Nam make this cake because in the past, the Vietnamese did not know the meaning of the cake and thought it was used for ancestor worship, so they named it Bánh tổ.
Depending on the customs of each family, the sticky rice cake can have different shapes and colors.
Some notes when making sticky rice cake:
- Ingredients of glutinous rice flour. If you want the cake to be “more traditional Chinese style,” you should buy glutinous rice, wash it clean, dry it, and then grind or pound it into fine flour.
- If you do not have banana leaves, you can replace them with bowls or other containers as desired.
- During the steaming process, occasionally, you should open the lid, wipe off the moisture that accumulates on the inside of the steamer lid to avoid water dripping down, causing the cake to be uneven and mushy.
- Store in a dry place; you can keep the sticky rice cake for about 1 week.
See more:
So the batch of traditional cake is complete. You see, with just a few simple ingredients, you only need to spend a little of your time to have a delicious traditional cake for your family to enjoy! Wishing you all success!
*Refer to images and the recipe from cooky.vn and the YouTube channel Thai Lam.
