Rough-skinned steamed buns, some square, some crooked, 33 years in demand in Hanoi
VietNamNet•03/04/2023
Along with beef noodle soup, bread and sticky rice, banh bao is a popular breakfast dish in Hanoi . It is easy to find street vendors and small banh bao stalls on sidewalks throughout the city. But it is certainly not easy for diners to find a place that has the traditional taste of banh bao, keeping the handmade method. The unnamed dumpling shop, located right at the intersection of Quan Thanh and Dang Dung streets, is one of the favorite addresses of gourmet diners. The shop is quite simple, the sign is "hidden" - only those who pay close attention can recognize it, the place of sale is a stainless steel table, surrounded by a few pots of soy milk, 4-5 sets of plastic tables and chairs. The "identifying point" of the shop is the image of crowded customers, motorbikes lining up to buy in the morning, especially from 6:30 to 8:30.
Diners were amazed holding bags of hot dumplings in their hands. Some sniffed and enjoyed them while they were hot, while others hurriedly wrapped them up and brought them to work.
The restaurant's menu includes vegetarian dumplings, stuffed dumplings, and soy milk. "For 33 years, my family has only sold those two types of dumplings, plus homemade soy milk," said Tran Thi Kim Oanh, the restaurant owner. To distinguish it from other dumpling shops, customers often call Mrs. Oanh's shop Quan Thanh dumplings or Quan Thanh square dumplings. Mrs. Oanh's dumplings are "very strange", not round but square, large in size, with a rough crust. Ms. Oanh honestly shared that because the cakes are handmade and made in large quantities, the shapes are not very eye-catching, "some are square, some are crooked". The family focuses more on the quality than the shape of the cake. But coincidentally, it is the shape that creates the uniqueness and difference. Vegetarian dumplings are a type of dumpling without filling. As soon as you receive the plate of dumplings, you can smell the pleasant aroma of wheat flour. Looking at the spongy, chewy crust, when you enjoy it, the dumplings are soft, smooth, and do not get stuck in your throat. Each dumpling costs 9,000 VND. In addition to the soft, spongy crust, the filling of the Bao Nhan bun is made from meat, vermicelli, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and simple spices. The filling smells of meat, pepper, and has just the right amount of moisture. Each bun costs 20,000 VND, quite high compared to regular Bao Nhan buns. "The buns here are delicious, eating one bun will make you full all morning. The price is higher than the industrial bun stalls on the sidewalk, but the flavor is completely different," a customer shared. The dumpling fillings here have never contained quail eggs. "Quail eggs have a distinctive smell, which can easily overpower the flavor of the dumpling and also make it moist," said Ms. Oanh, as she quickly wrapped dumplings for customers.
The recipe for making dumplings was passed down from Mrs. Oanh's parents. Until now, she and her husband still try to keep that recipe intact, making dumplings with traditional flavors, associated with the childhood memories of many people.
From 4am, the couple and their staff (about 10 people) started making the cakes. The cakes were steamed as they were made. After more than an hour, the first batch of cakes came out of the oven to serve customers. "A delicious bun needs to go through many stages, especially fermenting the dough and shaping the cakes. My family makes them by hand, so it takes more time. However, that is the only way to ensure the flavor," said Ms. Oanh. In addition to dumplings, Mrs. Oanh's shop also has homemade soy milk. She said that the soy milk is made from delicious, fresh beans. The beans are always left raw so that customers can feel the natural flavor, with absolutely no preservatives or flavorings. The soy milk here is sold for 10,000 VND/cup or 30,000 VND/liter. The shop is open from 5am to 12pm. The shop is crowded but because the dumplings are steamed continuously, the waiting time is not too long.
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