“Banh Chung Chien”- Fried Vietnamese Tet Rice Cake

Bánh Chưng, a traditional Vietnamese food eaten during Lunar New Year (Tết) 🇻🇳 and is made from glutinous rice (aka sticky rice), mung beans, pork belly that is tightly wrapped in aromatic phrynium or banana leaves. A sign of a good banh chung is one that's super meaty, solid, and tightly rolled.

Growing up as kids, my parents would fry the leftovers into crispy pancakes and would serve it with a little Maggi.

The trick to these pancakes is to microwave these till they are very soft and hot, then mashing it in a nicely oiled non-stick or cast iron pan and getting these super crispy!

History of Banh Chung-

“According to Vietnamese history, Banh Chung originated in the Hong Bang Dynasty during the reign of the 6th Hung emperor. When he became too old to rule and needed someone to inherit his throne, he held a cooking contest for his 21 sons, of which the winner will become the next ruler. While most of the princes travelled far and wide to look for a one-of-a-kind food that will win the approval of their father, Lang Lieu, the 18th son, stayed home, not by choice but mainly out of necessity. He was the poorest and loneliest of the lot and couldn't afford to travel or buy exotic foods.”

In the end it was Lang Lieu that impressed his dad the most.

Vietnam.com