Regarding eating Phu Bong rice cakes:

Tourists visit and experience making Phu Bong rice cakes at Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh's house. Photo: NV.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van's banh beo (steamed rice cake) stall is located in the middle of Phu Bong market and is always bustling with customers. On a low table, rows of small bowls of banh beo are stacked on top of each other. Next to them, jars of crushed roasted peanuts, soy sauce, oil, fish sauce, etc., are neatly arranged. Customers don't have to wait long; as soon as they sit down, four bowls of banh beo are quickly placed in front of them.

Besides its soft and chewy texture, Mrs. Van's steamed rice cakes are also impressive for their generous filling and surprisingly low price: 10,000 VND for 4 bowls. Delicious, nutritious, and affordable – these criteria perfectly describe this dish.

To date, Ms. Nguyen Thi Van (Cam Phu village, Dien Phong commune, Dien Ban district) has been involved in making and selling banh beo (steamed rice cakes) for over 10 years. Initially, she only sold a few dozen bowls to earn some money for groceries, but word spread, and the number steadily increased to hundreds, then thousands of bowls… The Phu Bong banh beo brand was born from there.

The Phu Bong afternoon market (Dien Phong commune, Dien Ban district) is nestled on the edge of the village, spanning several hundred square meters from inside to outside. Across a small road, on the other side, lies the peaceful Van Buong village, belonging to Duy Xuyen district. Around 3 PM, the market begins to bustle. Like many rural markets in Quang Nam province, Phu Bong market is a place for exchange and wholesale trading among the local people.

Although bánh bèo (steamed rice cakes) are available in many places, the bánh bèo from Phú Bông still has its own unique flavor and appeal. Photo: NV

Cam Phu village was originally formed from two villages, Phu Bong and Cam Lau. For hundreds of years, Phu Bong village has been famous for its mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing, silk spinning and weaving, and especially for its traditional dishes associated with the agricultural life of the people.

Unlike Hue -style or other types of banh beo, Phu Bong banh beo is thick and flavorful, made from glutinous rice, and served with fresh shrimp and pork belly. Importantly, the filling must include chives grown in the Go Mo Coi area of Go Noi...

Also associated with bánh bèo (Vietnamese steamed rice cakes), Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Mrs. Van's younger brother, runs a stall at his home. The stall is busiest in the mornings. Besides locals, on weekends there are visitors from Da Nang , Hoi An, and Duy Xuyen, and occasionally some tour companies bring their clients to enjoy and experience the process of grinding flour and making bánh bèo. Mr. Thanh charges the same price to everyone, regardless of whether they are locals or foreigners.

Besides selling at home, Phu Bong rice cakes are also shipped to customers near the center of Dien Ban town, and even sent to Tam Ky and Da Nang. On average, Phu Bong sells more than 2,000 bowls of rice cakes per day. From a simple livelihood, the rice cakes made by Mr. Thanh and his sisters have become a dish that has spread far and wide.

Evoking the name of a village in the Gò Nổi area - from Phú Bông rice cakes...

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