Le Van Cuong’s family on Phu Thinh street, Phu Long, Ham Thuan Bac district everyday makes 200-250kg of banh hoi from pure rice without additional elements. To have delicious banh hoi, rice must be selected carefully and soaked in water overnight. Then the rice is ground with water into a mixture which is then steamed and kneaded, stirred continuously until it starts to coagulate. The cooked mixture is shaped like a cylinder and then pressed through a mold into noodle form which is then laid onto a flat surface, but not in layers. Finally, the sheets are steamed for about 20 minutes.
Steaming banh hoi at Chuong family’s workshop. Pressing the flour into the noodle mold. Banh hoi is steamed during 20 minutes. A batch of banh hoi – Binh Dinh’s specialty. |
Making banh hoi for over half a century with three generations, Cuong’s family now provides banh hoi for many areas in Binh Thuan and has become a destination for photographers in the locality.
The dish is served with pig offal, herbs and tamarind sauce which leaves an unforgettable taste in every diner. |
By Ly Hoang Long – Translated by Nguyen Tuoi