Thanh Hà

Hà Nội is well known for its delicate bánh cốm (young sticky rice cake) and Thái Bình is famous for its bánh cáy (traditional sticky rice cake), but in the Mekong Delta, Cần Thơ has a distinctive tasty treat of its own to attract guests.

According to Cần Thơ elder Phạm Lam Kiều, bánh cống (shrimp fritter) has become a culinary symbol of this southwestern region.

The cake’s origin dates back to the early 20th century by the southern Khmer community through their ingenuity in using locally available ingredients to make the fritter, which quickly became a popular cake at big parties and festivities, Kiều said.

Guests flock to Cần Thơ and delight in sampling the crispy and flavourful bánh cống. — Photo thuonghieusanpham.vn

Ingredients for making bánh cống include ordinary rice mixed with glutinous rice soaked overnight in warm water, ground well and then mixed with wheat flour to maintain crispness.

A variety of dumplings can be made from steamed green bean, fried minced pork mixed with green and minced dried onion, garlic, salt, sugar, quality fish sauce and pepper. Fresh shrimp are peeled but with the tail kept on to make the cake more eye-catching.

Ingredients used to make bánh cống include minced pork, fresh shrimp and other locally sourced components. — Photo eva.vn

The fritter is then deep-fried in cooking oil until its outer layer becomes golden and crispy, while the inside remains soft and buttery.

Bánh cống is often dipped in sauce made from lime juice or vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, salt and chilli. It is more enjoyable when eaten with fresh herbs such as fish mint, basil, mustard greens, mango threads and cucumber.

The cake’s crispy cover and well-balanced dipping sauce create the perfect combination, fascinating everyone who tries it for the first time, Kiều told Việt Nam News.

The tasty bánh cống not only provides nourishment and energy, but is also a dish that helps ease digestion for the elderly and children.

A cook carefully prepares and fries bánh cống using traditional techniques. — Photo mia.vn

Bánh cống Cần Thơ is an indispensable part of the southwestern region’s culinary culture.

“With its authentic flavour and simple cooking process, the cake has become a symbol of creativity and the local people’s love for cuisine,” said culinary expert Trịnh Thị Nhung.

“Guests to Cần Thơ Province should not forget to experience aromatic and memorable flavour brought by the cake.”

She told Việt Nam News that bánh cống, an indispensable cake at important events such as family and community meetings, has become one of the most beloved street treats hunted by visitors and travellers.

The famous Cái Răng Floating Market, one of Cần Thơ’s most iconic tourism sites. — Photo suntravelgroup.vn

Dinners can enjoy the cake at An Bình or Xuân Khánh markets or long-standing restaurants and shops along Lý Tự Trọng Street, Nhung said, adding that the cake is not only a savoury dish but an expression of southwestern Việt Nam's identity due to its rustic and deep flavours.

“It helps to put Cần Thơ on the national culinary map. As a result, the number of local and foreign visitors to Cần Thơ Province has increased each year,” said Nhung. — VNS