Banh tet, sweet and savory
Bánh chưng and bánh tét to the Vietnamese Tết are like turkey and ham to the American Thanksgiving. The holiday feast just wouldn’t feel right without them. Although I have blogged about these sticky rice squares and logs before, the lunar new year has come back, and so are they. Sticky rice can be uberfilling in large quantity, and like all festive food, it’s not recommended that you feast on these dense beasts day after day, as satisfaction would turn into tiresomeness. But once a year, or maybe twice, a couple slices of banh tet sound so much more interesting than cereal, rice, even noodle soup.
Banh chung and banh tet have rather similar ingredients, especially when they’re made by Vietnamese Southerners. Both are wrapped in leaves (although slightly different kinds of leaves), and boiled for hours in water that is sometimes spiced with lemongrass. After cooking, a heavy weight is put on banh chung to drain the water, while banh tet are rolled around to perfect the cylindrical shape. I remember we used to hang pairs of banh tet in my grandfather’s kitchen, taking one down everyday during the week of Tet to whip out a nice settling meal with thịt kho trứng (pork and egg stew), dưa giá (pickled bean sprout), and spring rolls. There are the savory kind with meat and mung bean paste, and the vegan kind for those who want to practice self-control on the first day of Tet. In Houston, my mom usually gets the savory kind from Giò Chả Đức Hương, where we also get our cha lua supply, and the vegan kind from Linh Son pagoda. I branched out this year and tried a meaty log from Huong Lan Sandwiches 4 in Milpitas.
Their banh tet measures about 7 inches long, making eight thick nice slices, each has a chunk of fatty pork in the middle, pink and spiced with pepper. The sticky rice coat here gave its leaf wrapping a bit insecure sliminess when we first unraveled, but all was well. The banh tet smelled great, the sticky rice has a tight but soft texture. The seasoned bean paste is just salty enough to intrigue. In some way, banh tet is better than banh chung because every bite guarantees a bit of everything. No piece will miss the meat completely and no bite will get all the meat, the stuffing is even throughout the whole banh. It was honestly good by itself without condiments. Huong Lan Sandwiches had not failed me.
And neither did Thao Tien. When we got there last week in our quail quest, Thao Tien’s employees were busy running a small table pyramidized with banh chung and banh tet. They locate nicely in front of the Grand Century mall, passed by hundreds of people Tet shopping that day. Seeing the sale went like hot cakes (the sticky rice cakes were actually still warm), we were too eager to snatch one home that we forgot to check the tiny white sticker on the side. Surprise, we had grabbed a bánh tét chuối (banana banh tet).
It’s solely vegan. The sticky rice coat is made interesting with dots of black beans on shiny green background. The core is sweet, mushy banana in a reddish purple hue. This is just the usual ivory banana that always ripe too soon, but somehow slow cooking in a compact block of sticky rice wrapped by banana leaves makes the fruit change color. Chemical reactions? It still tastes sweet, with a hint of bitter (for lack of a better word) like a guava skin. And it looks beautiful to me.
The banana banh tet also goes well with my rotisserie chicken from Safeway, minus the guilt of defeating the whole vegan purpose thing. Thao Tien’s logs are also shamelessly long, almost two times bigger than Huong Lan’s. I will be eating banh tet every day for the rest of the week. Happy Tết to bánh tét and me!
Address: Hương Lan Sandwiches 4
41 Serra Way, Ste. 108
Milpitas, CA 95035
1 bánh tét with meat: $6
Thảo Tiên restaurant
Grand Century Mall
1111 Story Road #1080
San Jose, CA 95122
1 vegan banana bánh tét: $10
I like this blog very much, Its a really nice position to read and incur information. “If at first you don’t succeed, you’re running about average.” by M. H. Alderson.
1I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thanks, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?
2Hey, you used to write magnificent, but the last several posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!
3F*ckin’ remarkable things here. I’m very glad to see your article. Thanks a lot and i’m looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
4Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely comeback.
5It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
6The other day, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a forty foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
7Hello.This article was extremely remarkable, especially because I was looking for thoughts on this matter last couple of days.
8You have observed very interesting points! ps decent web site.
9With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any techniques to help protect against content from being ripped off? I’d truly appreciate it.
10Thank you for another informative site. Where else could I get that type of information written in such an ideal way? I have a project that I am just now working on, and I have been on the look out for such info.
11Regards for this wonderful post, I am glad I found this site on yahoo.
12I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They’re very convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are very short for starters. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
13You have noted very interesting details! ps decent internet site. “I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying that I approved of it.” by Mark Twain.
14Dead composed content, Really enjoyed looking at.
15I am no longer sure where you are getting your information, however great topic. I needs to spend some time finding out much more or working out more. Thank you for fantastic info I was looking for this information for my mission.
16Its like you learn my thoughts! You seem to know so much approximately this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I feel that you just can do with a few p.c. to force the message home a little bit, however other than that, this is fantastic blog. A great read. I will certainly be back.
17Very interesting topic, regards for posting.
18You have brought up a very good details , regards for the post.
19I conceive you have noted some very interesting details, appreciate it for the post.
20Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
21Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this website needs way more consideration. I’ll in all probability be once more to learn far more, thanks for that info.
22Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
23Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?
24Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think about worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
25This really answered my problem, thank you!
26I enjoy you because of all of your hard work on this web page. My niece enjoys setting aside time for investigations and it’s obvious why. A lot of people learn all regarding the lively medium you create reliable items through the website and invigorate contribution from people about this idea so our favorite child is undoubtedly starting to learn a lot. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the year. You have been carrying out a splendid job.
27A person essentially help to make seriously articles I would state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular publish incredible. Fantastic job!
28I don’t ordinarily comment but I gotta admit regards for the post on this perfect one :D.
29Hi my friend! I want to say that this post is awesome, great written and come with approximately all vital infos. I’d like to see extra posts like this .
30It’s truly a great and useful piece of info. I am satisfied that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
31Thank you for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such wonderful info being shared freely out there.
32hey there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this web site, since I experienced to reload the web site lots of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my email and can look out for a lot more of your respective exciting content. Ensure that you update this again very soon..
33Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
34Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
35Helpful info. Fortunate me I found your web site by accident, and I’m stunned why this coincidence didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
36I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.
37I believe this internet site holds some real superb info for everyone :D. “A friend might well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
38I like this website its a master peace ! Glad I discovered this on google .
39soda slim reviews
40I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thanks, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?
41Spot on with this write-up, I really think this web site wants far more consideration. I’ll most likely be again to read much more, thanks for that info.
42I truly enjoy looking through on this web site, it has got great content.
43This actually answered my downside, thank you!
44Woh I like your posts, bookmarked! .
45We’re a bunch of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with useful info to paintings on. You’ve done a formidable process and our whole neighborhood will likely be grateful to you.
46I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this web site. Studying this information So i’m happy to exhibit that I’ve a very excellent uncanny feeling I came upon just what I needed. I most without a doubt will make sure to do not overlook this site and provides it a glance regularly.
47Whats up very cool site!! Guy .. Excellent .. Wonderful .. I’ll bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally…I am satisfied to search out a lot of useful info here within the submit, we want work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing.
48Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was searching for!
49I like this weblog very much, Its a really nice spot to read and obtain information. “Famous remarks are very seldom quoted correctly.” by Simeon Strunsky.
50