The process of cutting banh chung evenly and without breaking it may seem simple, but it requires some small tricks. When Tet comes, banh chung is an indispensable dish in the meals of the Vietnamese people.
Banh chung is wrapped on the outside with natural dong leaves and inside is a combination of glutinous rice, green beans, onions, pork… All are traditional ingredients of the culinary culture of the nation.
Banh chung is not only a part of the Tet meal but also a symbol of gratitude to nature, bringing a bumper harvest and a warm life to people.
In addition, banh chung is also a symbol of filial piety of descendants towards their parents. Therefore, the custom of using banh chung as a gift for parents was born from here.
However, choosing how to cut banh chung with a lát (a thin bamboo string) or a knife to achieve the most beautiful effect is not something that everyone knows. Let’s find out two basic methods of cutting banh chung.
Cutting banh chung with a lát
Cutting banh chung with a lát is a traditional method where you just need to use a plate to hold the cake. First, gently open the leaves and untie the lát string, then place it on the surface of the cake.
You will place two lát strings perpendicular to each other to divide the cake into 4 evenly sized squares. Next, place 2 diagonal strings connecting the 4 corners of the cake to create 8 pieces of banh chung.
Remember the order of placing the strings, place the first string will be pulled up first.
Next, turn the cake over (the side with the lát string is on top) onto a plate and remove the remaining leaves.
Then, use the two ends of the lát to pull towards the center of the cake to cut it into pieces.
If you pull the strings in the correct order, cutting the cake will be easier. After cutting the cake, gently pull the lát out sideways instead of lifting it directly to avoid breaking the meat inside.
Cutting banh chung with a knife
Cutting banh chung with a knife is a method preferred by many young people because it is quick and easy to evenly divide the cake.
However, because banh chung is sticky, if you cut it directly with a knife, it will make the task of washing the knife later become complicated. To solve this problem, you can use food wrapping film to wrap 2-3 layers around the knife blade.
At the same time, you should use large and long knives to make cutting easier. For small, short, or blunt knives, cutting will be more difficult and may damage the cake.
Remove the leaves from the cake and place it on a flat surface. Use the knife to cut the cake into 8 pieces. Then, invert the cake onto a plate and remove the remaining leaves. Finally, remove the food wrapping film from the knife and you’re done.
Especially, if the banh chung is stored in the refrigerator and has hardened, cutting with a knife will be easier because the sticky rice will harden and not stick like before. After cutting, you can place the banh chung in a frying pan to heat it up.
Depending on your abilities and personal preferences, you can choose the cutting method that you feel is most suitable.
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