Banh Beo - one name, many forms

Hai Phong beo cake has a shape quite similar to a cake and eats like a cake, but it is harder. The cake is made from rice flour with the filling of fried onions, pork, and wood ear, then poured into a banana leaf mold for steaming. Then, depending on the person eating, fried onions are put on top. Dipping sauce is an important ingredient to fully enjoy Hai Phong banh beo. Diners depending on their taste squeeze more kumquats, add chili powder, pepper and herbs. This dish is usually served with meatballs and rolls, like eating banh cuon. Photo: Ngoc Anh

Hai Phong Beo cake is shaped like a cake and eats like Banh Gio, but it’s harder. The cake is made from rice flour with the filling of fried onions, pork, and wood ear then poured into a banana leaf mold for steaming. Then, depending on the person eating, fried onions are put on top. The dipping sauce is an important ingredient to fully enjoy Hai Phong Banh Beo. Diners, depending on their taste, squeeze more kumquats, add chili powder, pepper and herbs. This dish is often served with meatballs and rolls, like eating Banh Cuon. Photo: Ngoc Anh

Nghe An Beo cake has the same shape as Hue’s filter cake, only the name is different. The cake is made from filtered flour, put the filling, and then squeeze into a flat round shape, folded in half. When steamed, the cake is clear, and the shrimp and lean meat inside can be clearly seen. When eaten, Beo cake from Nghe An is often sprinkled with dipping sauce, sprinkled with dried onions and fresh chili to enjoy. Photo: @haknxjdf/Instagram

A plate of banh beo in Quang Binh consists of smooth, round pieces of cake that are stacked, close together like beo leaves on the river. It is said that the decoration is also the origin of the name of this dish. To make cakes, we need to mix rice flour with water in the standard ratio, put it in a flat round mold, cook it on medium heat. The finished product is a piece of cake with a smooth white color, after that, spread a layer of fat and place the cake on a plate. Shrimp lice are stir-fried on a pan until they have a satisfactory golden color, and are sprinkled on top of the cake. Finally, the fat is added last. All flavors combine to make the cake fragrant and attractive. Photo: @diem.jeansvnxk/Instagram

A plate of Banh Beo in Quang Binh consists of smooth round pieces of cake that are stacked, close together like Beo leaves on the river’s surface. It is said that the decoration is also the origin of the name of this dish. To make cakes, we need to mix rice flour with water in the standard ratio, put it in a flat round mold, cook in medium heat. The finished product is a piece of cake with a smooth white color, after that, spread a layer of fat and place the cake on a plate. Shrimp lice are stir-fried on a pan until they have a satisfactory golden color, and are sprinkled on top of the cake. Finally, the fat is added last. All flavors combine to make the cake fragrant and attractive. Photo: @diem.jeansvnxk/Instagram

Cup cake is a specialty that invites guests to visit Hue. In terms of ingredients as well as processing, Hue banh beo is similar to Quang Binh's banh beo but put in a cup, in accordance with the style of eating incense and flowers of the ancient capital. On each cup will sprinkle more shrimp lice, fat and fried onions. When eating, diners pour sweet and spicy fish sauce on top, enjoy the chewy, fatty but not fed up cake. Photo: Liz Phung

Cupcake is a specialty that invites guests to visit Hue. In terms of ingredients and processing, Hue Banh Beo is similar to Quang Binh’s Banh Beo, but put in a cup, in the style of “eating incense and eating flowers” of the ancient capital. On each cup will sprinkle more shrimp lice, fat and fried onions. When eating, diners pour sweet and spicy fish sauce on top, enjoy the chewy, fatty but not fed up the cake. Photo: Liz Phung

Quang Nam beo cake is also served in small bowls like Hue's beo cake, but it's different with a very pleasant pandan-scented powder. This cake is eaten in favor of fullness rather than snacking, because the dough is poured thicker, making diners full for a long time. The shrimp part, instead of being sprinkled like banh beo in other provinces, is cooked into a thick sauce that compares with tapioca flour, with a strong smell of minced garlic. Well-cooked cakes must have a swirl in the middle to pour shrimp sauce on top. When eating, diners chan pure fish sauce or pickled garlic and green chili sauce. Photo: @talithaeatsalot/Instagram

Quang Nam Beo cake is also served in small bowls like Hue’s Beo cake, but it’s different with a layer of powder scented with pandan leaves. This cake is eaten in favor of satiety rather than snacking, because the dough is poured thicker, making diners full for a long time. The shrimp part, instead of being sprinkled like Banh Beo in other provinces, is cooked into a thick sauce that compares with tapioca flour, with a strong smell of minced garlic. Well-cooked cakes must have a swirl in the middle to pour shrimp sauce on top. When eating, diners chan pure fish sauce or pickled garlic and green chili sauce. Photo: @talithaeatsalot/Instagram

Pineapple leaf Beo cake is a type of cake, a specialty of the West. River people often eat as a sweet snack during the day. The cake is usually filled with green beans or no filling, when eaten with pineapple juice and sprinkled with roasted sesame. In addition, the cake can be eaten directly, dipping with sesame salt. Photo: @doanvatcoba/Instagram .. Follow vnexpress