Dreamy Hue and its memorable flavors

Hue is not only famous for its enchanting natural landscapes, but also boasts a rich and unique culinary scene that captivates anyone who tries it. Each Hue dish possesses its own distinct character, flavor, and unique presentation unlike anywhere else. The writer Nguyen Tuan once remarked that people in Hue eat with their eyes and noses before actually tasting the food.

Hue's tapioca dumplings are best when they are freshly steamed, still steaming hot. Dip the dumplings in the spicy fish sauce and chili sauce and you will enjoy the softness and chewiness of tapioca dumplings, combined with the richness of fatty meat and the sweetness of river shrimp filling your mouth.

Banh beo is made in small, pretty cups and steamed until cooked. Once cooked, it's topped with dried shrimp, crispy fried pork skin, a little oil, and chopped scallions. Hue people are even more meticulous, using thinly sharpened bamboo sticks as chopsticks to cut the banh beo. That's why Hue folk have the phrase "bamboo knife, stone cup" to describe the authentic Hue way of eating banh beo.

Banh ram it is a combination of two different types of cakes, both crispy and chewy, both fragrant and sweet: the soft and chewy banh it on top and the fragrant and crispy banh ram on the bottom. The filling of banh it is made from shrimp sautéed with scallion oil and steamed.
The fried rice cakes (bánh ram) don't need filling; they are simply fried in oil until crispy and golden brown. The combination of the crispy texture of the fried rice cakes with the fragrant, chewy texture of the glutinous rice cakes (bánh ít) and the sweet and salty flavor of the fish sauce satisfies any diner visiting Hue. Hue folklore has a poem about the deliciousness of bánh ram ít as follows:
"Listen, just put this in your mouth and listen."
The less chewy the golden ram, the more captivating its flavor.
New to Hue specialties
"The colors and scents of the royal court seek each other"

Nestled modestly within the larger family of Hue's culinary delights, the chewy sesame candy is also worth mentioning. Its main ingredients are sesame seeds, malt syrup, sugar, and peanuts. These ingredients, combined with a secret family recipe, create a distinctive golden color and delicious aroma.

When you eat it, you can clearly taste the nutty flavor of sesame seeds, the crunchiness of peanuts, and the subtle sweetness of malt syrup. All the flavors blend together, creating a delightful, chewy texture that's incredibly satisfying. Afterward, sipping a cup of hot, fragrant lotus tea is simply wonderful. In intimate gatherings and conversations, this simple pleasure of enjoyment is sometimes all you need.

If you've ever been to Hue and enjoyed its cuisine, or simply tasted Hue's specialties gifted by friends and family after a trip to Hue, most of us are likely deeply impressed by the flavors of Hue's culinary scene. Throughout its long history as a royal palace, cuisine has been an indispensable part of the daily lives of kings, queens, and ladies-in-waiting. Perhaps that's why the current cuisine of Hue is also deeply influenced by the culinary culture of the imperial court. For the people of Hue, food doesn't need to be "abundant" but it absolutely must be "delicious." This is a noticeable characteristic in Hue's traditional cakes. For example, Hue's tapioca dumplings, sticky rice cakes, steamed rice dumplings, mung bean cakes with fruit, sticky rice cakes wrapped in thorny leaves... All of them are small and pretty, but incredibly delicious. Many people, upon first encountering them, often wonder, "Why don't the people of Hue make them bigger? And sell them at a higher price?" That's right, Hue's dishes have remained small and pretty from ancient times to the present day.

Heritage