YummY Vietnam

Banh hoi is a common dish from the center to southern Vietnam that everyone can eat for breakfast or main meals.

Banh Hoi is a variant of Bun ( rice vermicelli), Although Bun and Banh Hoi have same cooking process, Banh Hoi has many tricky steps with processing the layers of Banh Hoi . The main ingredient of making Banh Hoi is fine rice. Banh Hoi has tiny threads like corn silk. In order to make Banh Hoi mushy, non-sticky , the process of kneading flour needs to be precisely and follow the Banh Hoi recipe. Banh Hoi is always wrapped and drain out on the bamboo screen. Making Banh Hoi is indeed exploit with tricky process .

The name Banh Hoi is both extraordinary and familiar, Perhaps the origin of the name Banh Hoi is from people often use banh hoi at engagement party, pre-weeding party. People from groom’s side often offer a tray of Banh Hoi to bride’side, then people from bride’s side will deliver these Banh Hoi with crispy roasted pork to announce to relatives that the bride is engaged. Hence, “Hoi” in this case is traditional custom in weeding.

Although the place famous for Banh Hoi is Binh Dinh, banh hoi has the origin from Southern area. Banh Hoi was taken from Gò Cong (hometown of Queen Từ Dụ) to Hue in 19^th century. From that time, Banh Hoi became one of special dishes of Hue imperial cuisine. From Hue,now Banh Hoi is popularized every area in Vietnam.

From Western area to the Center, you can see Banh Hoi anywhere: Soc Trang, Can Tho, Sai Gon, Vung Tau, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Hue… In each areas, banh hoi is served with different ingredient,it shows how much Vietnamese people love Banh Hoi .

Banh Hoi from Soc Trang is always served with grilled shrimp and local aromatic herbs and dipped with sour-sweet fish sauce. People in Binh Dinh often enjoy Banh Hoi coated with sliced garlic chives. Arriving Binh Thuan, Banh Hoi is served with pig’s tripes.

In Ba Ria Vung Tau, you can enjoy Banh Hoi with grilled skewered beef or crispy roasted pork dipping with fish sauce. Banh hoi is a rural dish, if you have a chance to travel from the center to southern areas, do not forget to enjoy the variant of Banh Hoi .

Ingredient for banh hoi recipe

• Rice: 500gr
• Water
• Garlic chives
• Mould for making rice vermicelli

Process of making banh hoi recipe

Step 1:

Wash the rice then soak in water about from 10 hours to 12 hours then take out

Grind the rice well to get the rice flour, put rice flour in a cloth bag over to drain out.

Step 2:

In a large bowl, add rice flour and water then mix well to get viscous mixture

Add the mixture into a pot then heat at low heat.

When the flour mixture is concentrated, take the flour mixture out and roll into a long block with the same width of the mould

Step 3:

Add the flour mixture into the mould and press it to get tiny threads. Use hand to catch the threads of banh hoi run out from the mould then take out to steam for 3 minutes to make banh hoi done.

Step 4:

After steaming banh hoi and let it cool, you can served banh hoi with fish sauce, garlic chives or scallion oil, aromatic herbs. In some areas banh hoi is often served with grilled skewered beef, crispy roasted pork or pig’s stripes.