Hung Yen turmeric cake: A rustic gift that everyone loves

Not a luxurious dish, Hung Yen turmeric cake conquers diners with its rustic flavor of rice and fresh turmeric, becoming a sought-after gift even from 120km away.

Rustic flavors conquer diners

Among countless famous specialties, Hung Yen still retains a rustic but attractive gift from the countryside: turmeric cake. With its characteristic golden color and delicious, rustic flavor, this cake has conquered many diners and was honored in the Top 100 Vietnamese specialties in the period 2021-2022.

Turmeric cake is made from two main ingredients: rice flour and turmeric, so it doesn't make you feel full or upset when you eat it. Photo: Hoa Bui

The turmeric cake is made mainly from rice flour and fresh turmeric, creating a soft, fragrant and not greasy crust. The filling is a harmonious combination of fatty pork rinds, fragrant onions and crunchy wood ear mushrooms, seasoned to taste. Locals often do not use minced meat because they think the fatty taste of pork rinds goes best with the aroma of turmeric.

The processing is elaborate and meticulous.

Although the ingredients are simple, the process of making a turmeric cake requires a lot of effort and experience. Ms. Do Thi Theu, a long-time baker in Hung Thang commune (Hung Yen), shared that the quality of the ingredients is the deciding factor.

Turmeric must be fresh, large, undamaged, then washed, crushed and filtered to collect the powder that settles. The rice must also be of good quality, soaked for 3-5 hours and then ground into dry powder. The rice flour and turmeric powder are then kneaded together with a little salt.

Mix rice with turmeric powder and grind. Photo: Hoa Bui

This dough mixture will be steamed, then kneaded again until smooth. The filling is prepared from onions, pork rinds and finely ground wood ear mushrooms, seasoned with a little cinnamon powder or five-spice powder and fish sauce. The shaping process also requires skill so that the dough covers the filling and does not break when steamed.

The process of making turmeric cake requires meticulousness. Photo: Hanoi Street

Enjoy turmeric cakes and culinary culture

The best time to enjoy turmeric cake is when it is still hot. At that time, the aroma of rice, turmeric, and dried onions mixed with the fatty taste of pork fat creates an unforgettable culinary experience. This cake is not only a snack but also considered a folk medicine to help fight inflammation and stimulate digestion thanks to the effect of fresh turmeric.

Banh nghe is often sold at rural markets or appears on local death anniversary trays. Photo: Hanoi Street

In Hung Yen, turmeric cakes are often sold at rural markets and are also an indispensable dish in death anniversary feasts. In particular, this is also a meaningful gift that people often give to women after giving birth with the belief that turmeric will help them recover their health and beautify their skin.

Hometown gifts travel 120km to the city

The appeal of turmeric cake is so great that many people far from home still regularly order it and transport it hundreds of kilometers to the city. Ms. Ha Phuong (Hanoi) said that even though she has been away from home for many years, she still remembers the taste of this cake and often asks her family to buy it and send it to her.

Tien Hai turmeric cakes have become a gift that diners far from home miss and seek to buy to enjoy. Photo: Hoa Bui

According to Ms. Phuong, the cake is carefully packaged and when transported 120km to the destination, it still retains its softness and aroma. If the cake cools down, just steam it again to enjoy it as new. With a price of only a few thousand VND per cake, the turmeric cake is not only a delicious, healthy dish but also a part of the memory, a proud culinary culture of the people of Hung Yen.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/banh-nghe-hung-yen-mon-qua-que-dan-da-van-nguoi-me-397651.html