The Ultimate Winter Warmer: Fried Banh Chung with Chicken Fat – A Hanoi Old Quarter Delicacy

The chilly wind sweeps through the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam's bustling capital. As the temperatures drop, there's one longstanding culinary destination that beckons – a humble stall nestled near the historic Ô Quan Chưởng Gate and Đồng Xuân Market. For over three decades, this unassuming spot on Thanh Hà Street has been serving up a delicious treat: fried bánh chưng, a traditional Vietnamese rice cake, cooked to perfection in chicken fat.

By
Administrator
-
0
86

Thanh Ha Street, located next to O Quan Chuong, is one of the oldest ancient streets in Hanoi. The area is famous not only for its ancient architecture but also as a culinary destination for food lovers.

When visiting Thanh Ha Street, visitors can enjoy traditional Hanoi dishes such as rice noodles, sticky rice, porridge, baguettes, and grilled pork noodles. Especially during the winter afternoons, the fried sticky rice cakes sold by 71-year-old Ms. Pham Thi Binh always attract a large number of customers. Join us to explore Ms. Binh’s fried sticky rice cake shop on Thanh Ha Street.

1 Introduction to the Number 1 Fried Sticky Rice Cake Shop on Thanh Ha Street

Introduction to the Number 1 Fried Sticky Rice Cake Shop on Thanh Ha Street

Address: 1 Thanh Ha (formerly known as 6 Thanh Ha), Dong Xuan Ward, Hoan Kiem District

Opening Hours: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Price Range: From 15,000 VND (~$0.60)

Phone Number: N/A 

Facebook: N/A 

Delivery: No

Menu: Fried Sticky Rice Cakes

Signature Dish: Fried Sticky Rice Cake with Sausage (Approximately 35,000 VND (~$1.40))

Pros: Long-established shop, quick preparation

Cons: Street-side dining, limited seating, no delivery

Ms. Binh’s fried sticky rice cake stall is one of the famous street food spots in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Ms. Binh’s fried sticky rice cake stall is one of the famous street food spots in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The stall is located at 1 Thanh Ha (formerly known as 6 Thanh Ha), Dong Xuan Ward, Hoan Kiem District. Ms. Binh has been in the business of making and selling fried sticky rice cakes for over 30 years, since her younger days.

The fried sticky rice cakes made by Ms. Binh use only the freshest ingredients, capturing the authentic traditional flavors. The glutinous rice is soaked overnight to ensure softness, then mixed with mung beans, pork, dried onions, and spices. The cakes are shaped into small squares, approximately 3-4 cm in size.

Ms. Binh’s fried sticky rice cakes are affordably priced at around 20,000 VND (~$0.80) per piece. She also offers half-sized portions, catering to those with smaller appetites.

Ms. Binh’s fried sticky rice cakes are affordably priced at around 20,000 VND per piece.

2 What Makes Ms. Binh’s Fried Sticky Rice Cakes on Thanh Ha Street So Appealing?

Using Chicken Fat and a Large Aluminum Pan for Frying

Ms. Binh has a unique method of frying the sticky rice cakes, using a large aluminum pan instead of a frying pan. The pan’s large surface area allows for frying up to 20 cakes at once, significantly reducing the waiting time for customers.

To ensure that the fried sticky rice cakes are crispy and fragrant, Ms. Binh uses chicken fat for frying. Chicken fat has a distinctive aroma that enhances the flavor of the cakes, preventing any unpleasant odors that might occur when using pork fat.

Using chicken fat and a large aluminum pan for frying the sticky rice cakes.

A Meticulous and Passionate Frying Process

Before frying the cakes, Ms. Binh places a generous amount of chicken fat in the pan and waits for it to melt and heat up. Once the fat is hot, she carefully removes the outer banana leaf wrapping and places the cakes on the pan. She waits for one side to turn a golden brown color before flipping them over.

Ms. Binh uses a flat ladle to gently press and move the cakes back and forth in the pan, ensuring that the fat coats the cakes evenly. This step also helps the cakes cook faster and achieve a crispier texture. As the cakes are pressed, the hot fat penetrates deeper into the cakes, heating the filling as well, unlike the thicker traditional sticky rice cakes served during the Lunar New Year holiday.

When serving customers, Ms. Binh cuts the fried sticky rice cakes into small pieces, which can be enjoyed with chili sauce or soy sauce according to personal preference. Each fried sticky rice cake is priced at 15,000 VND (~$0.60).

Ms. Binh’s meticulous and passionate frying process ensures the quality of the fried sticky rice cakes.

Special Half-Sized Portion Option

To cater to different customer preferences, Ms. Binh also offers a special half-sized portion of the fried sticky rice cakes. She shares, “Fried sticky rice cakes are quite greasy due to the use of fat, and the glutinous rice can be filling. Not everyone can finish a whole cake, so I offer a special half-portion for those who want to try it or have a smaller appetite.”

The special half-sized portion option caters to those with smaller appetites.

This concludes our overview of Ms. Binh’s fried sticky rice cake stall on Thanh Ha Street. We hope you’ll have a chance to visit and enjoy this delicious treat!

Frequently asked questions

The traditional way to cook Banh Chung is by boiling it in water for about 10 hours. This slow cooking process allows the flavors of the beans, pork, and rice to meld together, creating a delicious and hearty dish.

Banh Chung is a traditional Vietnamese dish that holds cultural and historical significance. It is typically eaten during the Lunar New Year celebrations as it is believed to bring good luck and prosperity. The dish is also a symbol of patriotism, as it is said to have originated from a time when the Vietnamese people were fighting for their independence.

Banh Chung is usually served as a side dish, accompanied by a dipping sauce made of fish sauce, garlic, and chili peppers. It can also be fried, which gives it a crispy texture and a slightly different flavor profile.

Common ingredients used in Banh Chung include sticky rice, mung beans, pork belly or shoulder, and black pepper. These ingredients are carefully layered and wrapped in phrynium leaves, which give the dish its distinctive shape and aroma.

Yes, Banh Chung can be made in advance and stored for later consumption. It is often prepared a few days before the Lunar New Year and can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. Alternatively, it can be frozen for several months.
You may also like

Enjoy Traditional Hanoi Crab Noodle Soup from only 20,000 VND/bowl

Have you ever tried the delicious bún soup at Thanh Ha alley? This amazing soup has been served here for a long time, with a price of only 20,000 VND per bowl. Once you taste it, you will never forget the amazing flavors.

Fried sticky rice cake needs more than just vegetable oil: Add this type of liquid to make the cake crispy and not greasy when eating

With the following fried sticky rice cake recipe, you will have a crispy and delicious dish that you can’t get tired of eating.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR