Banh Chung, Banh Tet-Vietnamese Rice Cakes

This is banh chung (sweet rice pork cake). Every household in Viet Nam has to have banh chung (which is square) and banh tet (which is cylindrical) during Tet (New Year).



I bought this banh chung in Oakland Chinatown. It has a Chinese character on it, which says Tho, it means long life.



This is how to cut the banh chung without using a knife (If you cut it with a knife, the sticky rice will stick to it and the cut won't be as neat). First peel off the outer layer of the banana leaf to expose the cake. Then use about a foot of twine (you need four) to lay on top of the cake. The first twine needs no knot. The second one 1 knot, the third 2 knots and the last one 3 knots. Why do you need to make the knots? So you will know which twine to pull first.



Now turn the cake over and pull off the rest of the banana leaf.





Then pull the first twine (the one with no knot), it's your first cut.



Next pull the second twine (the one with 1 knot), it's your second cut.



Now pull the third twine (the one with 2 knots), it is your third cut.



Finally pull the last twine, it's your the final cut.


Banh chung is mainly sweet rice, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in water for more than an hour. In the middle are small pieces of pork meat and mung beans.



You can throw the banana leafs wrapping and twine in the garden for use as compost.



This is banh tet. Cut the string and peel off the banana leaf to expose one side of the cake.





Lay some twines on top of it.



... and turn it upside down.



Now peel the rest of the banana leaf off.



Pull all the twines and make three cuts (If you want smaller pieces, use more twines).



Ready to serve. Banh tet is made using the same ingredients as banh chung. Only the shape is different.