HANOI-Hanoi cuisine in winter attracts diners with a variety of snacks, at affordable prices, to drown out the cold.
Banh Duc is one of the traditional dishes of Hanoians in winter. In addition to the traditional cold Banh Duc served with braised fish, braised meat, shrimp paste, and crab soup, Hanoi people also create soft, flexible hot Banh Duc, enjoyed with water and vegetables while still hot.
Diners can find famous addresses selling Banh Duc in Hanoi such as 8 Le Ngoc Han, 296 Minh Khai, 106 Goc De, hot Banh Duc shop in Trung Tu. Photo: Xuan Phuong
One of the best-selling dishes in winter in Hanoi is banh troi tau with green bean and black sesame filling. The floating cake balls are shaped into round, chewy, flexible pieces, wrapped around the sweet filling, mixed with sweet sugar water and the spicy taste of ginger chicken, helping to drown out the cold winter in Hanoi.
Famous addresses selling banh troi in Hanoi include 30 Hang Giay, 90 De To Hoang, 1 Bat Dan, 146 Quan Thanh. Photo: Quynh Mai
Like banh troi, hot cassava sweet soup is usually only sold in the fall and winter months. Cassava is cut into small pieces, cooked until soft, has a fleshy, fragrant and greasy taste. The hot tea is yellow-brown in color, viscous, with a faint aroma of ginger and coconut milk. True to its name, cassava sweet soup is eaten while still hot and has the effect of warming the stomach.
Hot cassava sweet soup at 75 Tran Xuan Soan, 39 Ly Quoc Su, 35B Nguyen Binh Khiem or 90 De To Hoang are addresses that many diners “hear about” each other in Hanoi. Photo: Bui Thuy
Curious with its thick, black color, black sesame sweet soup is also a dish that many people choose to enjoy on cold days in Hanoi. This is a famous Chinese dish, made from ground black sesame, cooked with ginger, powder and lemon leaves to create a fragrance. Not having an eye-catching appearance, black sesame sweet soup conquers diners with its sweet, nutty aroma combined with a mildly spicy ginger taste, good for health.
Diners can enjoy black sesame tea at 30 Hang Giay. Photo: kimifoodie
Ha Thanh rib porridge has the fragrant and sweet smell of fresh rice mixed with the fatty taste of young ribs. Hanoi people do not soak and cook rice directly, but puree it into powder and then cook it until it reaches a smooth consistency. Each piece of porridge is hot, fleshy, sticky, sweet and fragrant, and the ribs are cooked softly, melting in the mouth, leaving behind the sweetness of the meat.
Hanoians often eat rib porridge with grilled meat, fried onions and pork floss. A little fragrant pepper and a pinch of spicy green onions further stimulate the taste buds. A bowl of rib porridge that is just enough to warm the stomach but not too filling is a suitable choice for an afternoon meal for many diners.
Some delicious rib porridge restaurants in Hanoi for diners to enjoy are 14 Dong Xuan, 142 Doi Can, 26 Tran Xuan Soan. Photo: Thuy Linh
Hot spring rolls are one of the “specialties” Indispensable in the list of culinary dishes on cold days in Hanoi. The crust is made from ordinary rice flour mixed with glutinous rice flour, wrapped with a filling consisting of minced lean meat, wood ear mushrooms, purple onions and pepper. The cake is wrapped in banana leaves, steamed and enjoyed while still hot.
Scoop a piece, the soft crust melts in your mouth. The sweet and fatty meat filling and crunchy wood ear mushrooms blend with the fragrant smell of ground pepper to awaken all senses. Add some toppings such as pork rolls, spring rolls, pickles, chili sauce, and the plate of spring rolls is complete in both color and flavor.
Banh gio is a popular dish that can be easily found on every street corner and street vendor. Some famous banh gio addresses for diners to refer to are No. 3 Thuy Khue, No. 33 Dong Cac, kiosk 21 Luong Dinh Cua street. Photo: ngoafood
Fried banh chung is a gift reminiscent of Tet, popular with many diners every winter. The banh chung, as small as an adult’s hand, are arranged evenly on a round aluminum tray, with a charcoal stove underneath. After the sizzling sound, there is a golden brown, crispy outer layer, inside is a layer of hot, slightly soft sticky rice, with well-cooked green beans and a few pieces of fatty meat.
Some addresses selling childhood snacks of the 8X and 9X generations in Hanoi are 1B Thanh Ha, 73 Pham Hong Thai, Cau Dong market, 76 Truong Dinh. Photo: troosismeee
Hanoi donuts are one of the simple dishes associated with many generations of people in the Capital. Initially there were only sweet donuts. Later, the baker added variations to the salty donut dish filled with meat and wood ear mushrooms to serve the diverse tastes of diners.
The outer layer of the crust is coated with sugar or molasses, creating a hard, crunchy texture for the crust. The filling inside is pureed green beans, smooth and sweet.
Diners can buy Hanoi traditional donuts at the following addresses: No. 102E2 Thai Thinh, No. 52 Hang Chieu, No. 5 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hang Chieu – Quan Chuong intersection. Photo: Quynh Mai
Dumplings are a familiar breakfast dish for many people. Square, round, milky white cakes filled with green beans or meat become more attractive and sell better in the winter.
Tearing off the soft, spongy crust of the cake, hot steam rises along with the scent of shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms entering the diners’ sense of smell. There are two types of dumpling filling: sweet filling made from green beans and salty filling, made from minced meat with vermicelli, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and quail eggs seasoned to taste. One or two dumplings as big as an adult’s palm with a cup of bean milk is the breakfast of many Hanoians.
Diners can visit addresses such as No. 146 Quan Thanh, No. 59 Luong Ngoc Quyen, No. 15A Bank Printing Collective, Quan Tho 1 Lane, No. 83 Hang Bac. Photo: Xuan Phuong
Grilled corn and potatoes are a sidewalk snack that often appears on winter days in Hanoi. The aroma of ripe corn and large, golden potatoes roasted evenly on charcoal grills stimulates the sense of smell and taste of passersby.
Grilled corn and potatoes enjoyed with hot bean milk, tea or yam at night is a “pleasure” of many diners, especially young diners. Diners can easily see rows of grilled corn and potatoes on the streets in Hanoi. Photo: Thanh Tung