Savory bánh đúc becomes a popular tradition in western Vietnam

People in Western Vietnam serve savory bánh đúc as a traditional dish at wedding feasts, death anniversaries, and for tourists visiting rural markets.

This folk cake consists of a steamed dough made from rice flour and coconut milk. Cooks prepare the base by mixing the ingredients and letting the mixture rest for 30 minutes before steaming it in molds. The dish features a topping of minced shrimp and pork sautéed with shallots, radishes, cassava, and mushrooms.

Diners typically eat the savory cake with fresh vegetables like lettuce and basil, along with sweet and sour fish sauce. One merchant in Cao Lãnh, a town in Đồng Tháp province, produces large batches of the cake for wholesale orders and festive celebrations. The popularity of the dish has grown from a simple home-cooked meal to a staple in restaurants.

Tourists visiting the river regions of Đồng Tháp and Cần Thơ now seek out the cake as part of their cultural experience.