Ha Tinh-style steamed rice rolls

A slice of cake costs between 20,000 and 25,000 VND, making it a popular breakfast treat for locals.

In Ha Tinh , tourists can easily find small eateries with signs that say "Ram - Banh Muot". "Ram" refers to a dish similar to fried spring rolls, while "banh muot" is another name for "banh cuon" or "banh uot".

Two portions of steamed rice rolls with pork sausage cost 45,000 VND, usually sold from around 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM. Photo: Bao Ngan

Each spring roll is tightly wrapped, about two fingers wide. The tighter the spring rolls are wrapped, the tastier they are, and the filling won't fall out when eaten. The filling consists of minced pork, onions, vermicelli, sawtooth coriander, and spices. The pungent, slightly bitter aroma of sawtooth coriander gives Ha Tinh spring rolls their unique flavor.

The wrapping method is similar to spring rolls, but the difference is that the wrapper of Ha Tinh spring rolls is thicker and has a golden brown color, made from rice and molasses. After wrapping, the spring rolls are fried in a pan of boiling oil for about 3-4 minutes. The soft rice cake is made from glutinous rice flour. Glutinous rice is ground into a fine powder, water is added, and it is left to ferment overnight. When making the cake, the seller must skillfully take just the right amount of batter to create a thin yet chewy, fragrant, and smooth finished product.

Diners use their hands to wrap the ingredients while eating. The dish is appealing due to the contrasting combination of the soft, thin, fragrant rice paper wrapper and the crispy, hot, and fatty spring roll inside. For a change of pace, you can choose to wrap it with Vietnamese pork sausage (giò lụa) or pork sausage (giò lắt). Additionally, diners often sprinkle some fried shallots to enhance the flavor.

This is a popular breakfast dish and a favorite among many locals. "No matter how many delicious and exotic dishes there are now, I will never forget the taste of a plate of steamed rice rolls from my hometown. If I come home from studying or working far away and don't eat a plate, I'm not a true son of Ha Tinh," said Phuong Bao, a customer.

Ram should be eaten immediately after frying to maintain its crispness and deliciousness; avoid letting it cool down as the crust will become hard. Photo: Bao Ngan

According to many vendors, the dipping sauce is the deciding factor in whether this dish is delicious or not. They usually use homemade, golden-yellow fish sauce, mixed with boiling water, sugar, and MSG. Diners can adjust the dipping sauce to their liking with minced garlic, lime, or chili peppers.

Bao Ngan

Source