Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
2 hours
Difficulty
Medium
Have you ever had the chance to enjoy Bánh phu thê (xu xê) Đình Bảng – one of the extremely famous specialties of Bắc Ninh? If not, then this is your opportunity to try making Bánh phu thê with a special and delicious purple sweet potato filling. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN right away!
Ingredients for Bánh phu thê (xu xê) Đình Bảng For 5 people
Purple sweet potato 100 gr Tapioca flour 200 gr Dried butterfly pea flowers 6 pieces Grated coconut 100 gr Roasted sesame 10 gr Cooking oil 3 tablespoons Sugar 120 gr
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose fresh purple sweet potatoes
- You should choose purple sweet potatoes that are intact, not cracked or broken. When holding the potato, it should feel firm, solid, and not bruised.
- Choose potatoes that are elongated or round without any waist or dents, as these have less fiber and more starch, making them very sweet when cooked.
- Avoid buying overly large potatoes as they tend to have more fiber; medium-sized potatoes are the best choice.
- Be careful if you see potatoes with black spots or blemishes, as these are signs that the sweet potato has spoiled.
How to choose quality butterfly pea flowers
- You can use fresh or dried butterfly pea flowers, however, for cooking, you should use dried butterfly pea flowers to achieve the most visually appealing product!
- If you buy fresh flowers, you should choose flowers that are bright green, with intact petals that are not torn or wilted.
- Natural dried butterfly pea flowers will have uneven colors, with stems that are light green or dark green.
- You should avoid buying dried butterfly pea flowers that show signs of mold, have white spots, and have an unpleasant smell.
What is tapioca flour? Where to buy tapioca flour?
- Tapioca flour is a cooking ingredient made from cassava starch, people in the South call it tapioca flour, people in the North call it cassava flour or dao flour, while people in the Central region call it filtered flour.
- Because it can create a high viscosity and stickiness, tapioca flour is widely used in cooking to create various dishes with different shapes such as jellies, various types of chè, há cảo…
- You can buy tapioca flour at grocery stores, market stalls, large supermarkets or purchase at TasteVN stores nationwide. Or order through e-commerce sites like bachhoaxanh.com!
Required Tools
How to Make Banh Phu The (Xu Xe) Dinh Bang
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Prepare the sweet potato filling
Wash the purple sweet potatoes to remove dirt, peel them, wash off the sap, then steam until soft for about 7 minutes over medium heat, then mash with a fork until smooth.
Next, put the sweet potato in a pan over low heat, add 20g of sugar, and stir gently for about 5 – 10 minutes. When the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and transfer the filling to a bowl.
After about 5 – 10 minutes, when the filling has cooled slightly, roll it into large balls about 2 times the size of your thumb tip.
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Mix the cake skin flour
Boil 200ml of water, add the butterfly pea flowers and soak for 5 minutes, then strain to obtain the water and let it cool. If you want a darker color, you can soak more butterfly pea flowers!
Add 200gr of tapioca flour to a bowl, then add 100gr of sugar and 200ml of filtered water, stirring well to combine the mixture.
Then, add 200ml of butterfly pea water and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the mixture and continue to stir gently. Use food wrap to cover the bowl tightly and let the flour rest for about 10 – 15 minutes.
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Cook the cake skin
Place a pan on the stove, turn on low heat, then add the mixed flour and 100gr of grated coconut, using a flat whisk to stir continuously.
After about 3 – 5 minutes, when you see the flour starting to thicken (half-cooked), turn off the heat and continue to stir until the flour thickens into a smooth, sticky mass.
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Shaping the Bánh phu thê
Apply a little cooking oil to your hands, take a sufficient amount of dough, roll it into a ball, then press the dough evenly flat and place the filling in the center, wrapping it up, rolling it so that the filling does not stick out.
Use a brush to apply a layer of cooking oil inside the flan mold so that the cake does not stick to the mold when steaming.
Tip: If you do not have a flan mold, you can use a jelly mold or a dipping bowl to hold the cake for steaming. -
Steaming the Bánh phu thê
Place the steaming pot on the stove, boil 700ml of water on high heat for about 7 – 10 minutes.
When the water boils, place the cake mold on the steamer and steam the cake for about 25 – 30 minutes until cooked. Turn off the heat, remove the cake mold to cool, then take the cake out of the mold.
To enhance the fragrant and rich flavor of the cake, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top of the cake, then wrap it with plastic wrap for later use.
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Final Product
Đình Bảng’s bánh phu thê has a translucent green outer layer and a purple filling that looks very appealing. Taking a bite, you will feel a flavor that evokes tradition while also providing a remarkably new and creative sensation. The cake has a mild sweetness, a fragrant fatty taste, and a nutty flavor that makes you want to keep eating.
Tips for Storing Bánh phu thê (xu xê) for Longevity
- If you leave the cake outside in conditions below 20 degrees, it can last from 4 to 5 days; however, if the weather is hot and humid, it can last from 1 to 2 days.
- The best way is to store bánh phu thê (xu xê) in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, such as in the refrigerator. When you want to eat it, just reheat it. If stored in the refrigerator, it can last for about a week!
So you have completed the delicious bánh phu thê (xu xê) Đình Bảng with purple sweet potato filling, which is fragrant, colorful, and quite simple to make. TasteVN wishes you successful execution!
