Thread: "Banh Day" - Glutinous rice cake - special food of Quan Ganh village, Vietnam

Quan Ganh Village is famous for its traditional cake called "Banh day", a delicious treat of glutinous rice cand green beans wrapped in banana leaves. Almost all people who pass this area stop to buy some couples of “bánh dày” as souvenirs for their beloved or simply as their lunch, a famous specialty of Ha Tay land. This cake has been popularly loved and enjoyed by lots of people, both Vietnamese and foreigner tourist who travel to Vietnam though they just pass by and try it by chance.

Located along National Highway No.1 in Hanoi's Thuong Tin District. Quan Ganh village is worth for a visit just to sample some of the local Banh Day or Day cake.

Day cake is similar to chung cake, which is eaten during the lunar year, but day cake is a popular snak throughout the year.

Chung and Day cake are closely connected to Lang Lieu, a Vietnamese prince. According to legend, a beggar once came to Quan Ganh. The villagers did not drive him away, and instead fed him a hearty meal. In return, beggar taught the villagers how to make Day cake. From then on, villagers have been enjoying the snack.

Quan Ganh village makes the best Day cake in Hanoi, an it can be easily found on sales by treer vendors for just a few thousand Vietnamese dong.

This cake is made with a special kind of glutinous rice which can only be planted in Hai Hau (Hải Hậu), Nam Dinh (Nam định) province. It is greatly fragrant and glutsive role in making good cakes.

Steamed glutinous rice is then ground in a mortar from the moment when it is still hot till it turns clearly white and much glutinous. Once stuff has been done, it is then put into the shell. It is not easy at all to do this step. It obviously requires skillfulness.

There are three types of Quan Ganh glutinous rice cake: with sweet stuff, salty stuff, and vegetarian stuff. Vegetarian and sweet glutinous rice cakes are used as offerings in rites. Sweet stuff is made of green bean which is steamed and mixed with sugar. Cake’s white shell looks really sexy. Salty stuff is made of green bean, coconut, fat and lean meat, pepper (which is similar to the stuff of some other rice cakes in some regions). Vegetarian glutinous rice cake (without stuff) is usually used in wedding party (as replacement of a plate of steamed glutinous rice). Party participant may enjoy “bánh dày” with pork pies upon their tastes.

Day Cake in Quan Ganh is not only a delicious cake but also a very special gift for every people. If you are foreigners and have idea for Vietnam travel.l, Quan Ganh's Day Cake is a thing not to be missed.

Hong Tam
Source: www.vietnamtourism.org.vn
Tours in Vietnam - Vietnam travel.