Grilled sticky rice banana in the top of the world's best desserts

Grilled sticky rice banana is one of 9 names mentioned by CNN in the list of " The world's best desserts".

"The dish is crispy, hot and fragrant, best enjoyed with coconut milk and roasted peanuts. This is a must-try when coming to Vietnam," the American newspaper introduced.

Grilled sticky rice banana is among the world's best desserts. Photo: Internet.

Grilled sticky rice banana is a rustic snack in the West, and can be found in many provinces and cities across the country today. Peel the banana, wash it in diluted salt water, then marinate it with 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for 30 minutes. After steaming, spread the sticky rice mixed with coconut milk thinly, place the banana on top, roll it up, wrap it in banana leaves, and then grill. When the banana leaves are charred, the sticky rice skin is crispy and golden, and smells fragrant, it is done.

This poll is part of the Culinary Journeys program, which is broadcast monthly on CNN International. The goal is to find and introduce the best dishes in the world as well as meet and learn from the experiences of talented chefs. People, tourists, and experts around the world can introduce their favorite dishes, post them on Instagram and tag them with the hashtag #CNNfood. Culinary experts will then select the most outstanding and typical dishes to introduce.

Banana is one of the familiar fruits of Vietnamese people. Just from fresh and delicious bananas, Vietnamese people can process into all kinds of attractive snacks such as banana cake, banana sweet soup...

Among them, there is a dish that cannot be missed, which is grilled sticky rice banana , a dish with a sweet, rustic flavor but easily captivates the taste buds of diners.

Among the countless Vietnamese desserts , grilled sticky rice banana stands out because of its unique flavor and the perfect combination of the sweet taste of banana and the rich taste of coconut milk.

Grilled sticky rice banana is a rustic dish, a snack of the people of the Southwest region. Gradually, it has become a delicious and famous snack not only for Vietnamese people but also for foreign tourists.

In particular, grilled sticky rice bananas are different in each place. In Saigon, the sticky rice bananas are long and slender, in My Tho, they choose big, round bananas, and in Can Tho, the grilled bananas are small and pretty, not too long and not too big.

Delicious grilled sticky rice bananas are those with the crispy brown color of the outer sticky rice layer, the soft white color of the inner sticky rice layer, and the ripe yellow color of the banana that is not soft at all.

The bananas used in this dish must be ripe, then marinated with a little sugar and salt for a rich flavor and grilled directly on a charcoal stove, whole.

The sticky rice is cooked with a little coconut milk, seasoned with a little salt and sugar, then wrapped around the banana. The coconut milk is poured into the pot, add sugar, salt, and tapioca starch. Cook and stir until the coconut milk mixture is thick, beautiful, and attractive.

The sweetness of ripe bananas combined with the soft, fatty aroma of coconut milk and roasted peanuts creates a simple dish that captivates diners.

When grilling, you must turn the food evenly until the outer layer of banana leaves is charred, giving off a light banana leaf aroma. In particular, the outer layer of banana leaves will protect the sticky rice from burning as well as keep the dish moist.

When enjoying, the hot and crispy outer layer of sticky rice flour blends with the rich coconut milk and sweet banana pieces to fill the diner's taste buds.

Previously, in 2013, grilled banana sticky rice, along with banh xeo, was listed among the 20 best street foods of the year at the 2013 World Street Food Congress.

Grilled sticky rice banana dish. Photo: Tuoi Tre Newspaper.vn

Grilled sticky rice bananas are especially popular with people in the Southwest, this is a rustic dish, very familiar. To make grilled sticky rice bananas, the ingredients are also very simple, including: bananas, white sticky rice, coconut milk, banana leaves, crushed peanuts, shredded coconut and some other spices. Peel the bananas, wash the banana leaves, dry them; roast and crush the peanuts. Cook the sticky rice and wrap it around the bananas evenly because if it is too thick, people will get bored easily, and if it is too thin, it will not be "enough". When grilling, you need to turn it evenly, when the sticky rice skin is crispy and golden, and has a fragrant smell, it is done.

From the stage of preparing the ingredients, you must prepare carefully. For example, you must choose good sticky rice, and bananas must be ripe bananas. When the bananas start to ripen, peel them, wash them in diluted salt water, then marinate them with sugar and salt for 30 minutes. Wash the sticky rice, then soak it in water overnight or for about 6-7 hours to soften the sticky rice. When the rice is just cooked, add coconut milk and sugar and stir well with chopsticks. Continue cooking until the rice is soft, then let it cool.

Making grilled sticky rice bananas involves many steps, but what makes this dish special is the coconut milk poured over the bananas. The most important part is the coconut milk, which must be made from fresh coconut. All ingredients must be standard to create the right fragrant and rich coconut flavor. You should choose a slightly old coconut. When you pick it up and shake it, you can hear the sound of water and it feels heavy. When heating the coconut milk, add a little salt and tapioca starch to make the milk thick and smooth.

This grilled sticky rice banana dish will be more delicious if eaten right after removing the banana leaf while it is still hot. When eating, the sticky rice banana is usually cut into bite-sized pieces, poured with thick coconut milk, and sprinkled with crushed roasted peanuts on top. The coconut milk has just the right sweetness so that when enjoying it, you can feel the richness. The aroma of grilled banana mixed with the fragrant smell of coconut spreads, making passersby hesitate to move forward.

Before being chosen as the world's best dessert, grilled sticky rice bananas and banh xeo were listed in the top 20 best street foods of the year at the 2013 World Street Food Festival held in Singapore. Today, this snack can be easily found at street vendors and small eateries in many provinces and cities across the country. If you have the opportunity to visit Vietnam, don't miss the chance to try it./.

Thu Hang