Sifted rice cakes - a childhood favorite.

Pineapple cake, also known as sieve cake, is one of the delicious and attractive traditional cakes in the Mekong Delta. The cake has a simple appearance and unique flavor, but its preparation is quite elaborate and requires skill. It was once a part of the childhood of many generations.

Ms. My Xuyen's traditional cake stall.

Every day at 5 PM, Ms. My Xuyen sets up her small stall on Le Minh Nguon Street (Long Xuyen Ward) selling various kinds of cakes. Among them, the sieve-shaped cakes attract attention not only because of their unusual colors and shapes, but also because she has printed a special sign to draw customers' attention to the name itself.

Thanks to this stall, Ms. Xuyen has received support from many people, especially students and older people who like to relive the flavors of their childhood.

"This is a traditional Khmer cake, and now it's so popular that everyone likes to eat it, so I make and sell it. In just over two months, I've sold all kinds, and most customers still come to buy the sieved cake because they find it unique and delicious. Older people are very familiar with this cake; some buy a dozen at a time," Ms. Xuyen shared.

The ingredients for making this rice flour cake are quite simple: crispy roasted peanuts that are crushed, fragrant roasted sesame seeds, pandan leaves (ground and strained for color), and grated coconut sautéed with sugar until translucent. Kneading the dough is the most difficult step; only a small amount of water is added and kneaded thoroughly to ensure the dough is light, moist enough, and not sticky. After kneading, the dough is sifted to remove any lumps.

Cook the sieve-shaped cakes on a hot stovetop without oil.

The next step in cooking the rice flour cake is another surprise for viewers. It's not steamed, fried, or baked. A pan is placed on a low heat until it's just right. Ms. Xuyen sifts the flour into a round shape and quickly covers it. The heat gradually cooks the flour, making the edges crispier and slightly curled. At this point, the filling of grated coconut mixed with roasted peanuts is placed in the center, then folded in half or thirds, quickly scooped out, and placed on a banana leaf.

Each step in cooking the dumplings requires quick, decisive movements and skill and care, because cooking too quickly will cause the dumplings to fall apart and the filling cannot be folded; if left for too long, the dumplings will burn and taste unpleasant.

The filling of the steamed bun is delicious, with a perfect blend of sweet and creamy flavors and the distinctive aroma of pandan leaves.

The freshly baked cake is initially firm and crispy, but a few seconds later it becomes surprisingly soft and chewy. One bite reveals the fragrant aroma of pandan leaves and sticky rice blended with the sweet filling. The grated coconut absorbs the sugar but isn't overly sweet, making it just right, while the peanuts are crunchy and the sesame seeds fragrant and rich – truly irresistible.

From preparation to cooking, the flour must be sifted twice, hence the name "sieved cake." It is also known as "pineapple cake" because traditionally, people make the cake green, using pandan leaves for color and aroma.

Today, the flavor of bánh rây (a type of Vietnamese rice cake) has spread beyond the villages of the Khmer people, and it is widely sold in many places. Bakers have also creatively added colors to make the cake more appealing: pink from red dragon fruit juice, orange from gac fruit, purple from perilla leaves, or simply keeping the original pristine white color of the glutinous rice.

In the past, if making it at home, mothers and grandmothers would add ripe jackfruit stir-fried with grated coconut for a richer, sweeter flavor. However, eating it the way it's sold in the market is delicious enough!

MY HANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/banh-ray-dac-san-cua-tuoi-tho-a427031.html