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 would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own blog now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.
1I’m extremely inspired along with your writing skills and also with the layout to your weblog. Is that this a paid topic or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the nice quality writing, it is uncommon to peer a great blog like this one these days..
2I’m still learning from you, while I’m trying to achieve my goals. I absolutely liked reading all that is posted on your blog.Keep the stories coming. I loved it!
3F*ckin’ amazing things here. I’m very glad to see your article. Thanks a lot and i am looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
4Hey there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Thanks
5I will right away grab your rss as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly permit me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
6Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
7I am not sure where you’re getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information I was looking for this info for my mission.
8Hmm is anyone else having problems with the pictures on this blog loading? I’m trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
9My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the costs. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on several websites for about a year and am nervous about switching to another platform. I have heard great things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress posts into it? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!
10I used to be more than happy to find this internet-site.I needed to thanks for your time for this wonderful learn!! I undoubtedly having fun with every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
11I was reading some of your content on this site and I conceive this site is real instructive! Keep putting up.
12Its fantastic as your other blog posts : D, regards for posting.
13I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Excellent work!
14What i don’t understood is in truth how you’re not actually much more neatly-appreciated than you might be right now. You are very intelligent. You know thus considerably on the subject of this subject, made me individually consider it from a lot of various angles. Its like men and women don’t seem to be involved except it’s something to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs great. At all times maintain it up!
15I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
16Woh I love your articles, saved to fav! .
17What i don’t realize is actually how you’re not really much more well-liked than you might be right now. You’re very intelligent. You realize thus considerably relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from so many varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs great. Always maintain it up!
18Hi , 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.
19Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and all. But think about if you added some great photos or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and video clips, this site could definitely be one of the very best in its field. Good blog!
20Hi this is kinda of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding knowledge so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
21Nice read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch as I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
22I have read a few just right stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much effort you place to make this type of excellent informative website.
23You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the topic and found most guys will consent with your blog.
24magnificent points altogether, you just won a brand new reader. What would you recommend about your post that you just made some days in the past? Any certain?
25After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.
26Perfectly written content, Really enjoyed studying.
27I saw a lot of website but I conceive this one holds something extra in it in it
28I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks!
29Its excellent as your other articles : D, regards for posting. “You can’t have everything. Where would you put it” by Steven Wright.
30Rattling superb info can be found on site.
31Great goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely wonderful. I really like what you’ve acquired here, really like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it smart. I can not wait to read much more from you. This is actually a terrific website.
32I always was interested in this topic and stock still am, appreciate it for putting up.
33hello there and thank you for your info – I have certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise some technical points using this site, as I experienced to reload the web site many times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and can damage your high-quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Well I’m adding this RSS to my email and could look out for much more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again very soon..
34Very clear web site, thankyou for this post.
35Thanks for each of your hard work on this web page. My niece really likes managing investigation and it is obvious why. I notice all relating to the compelling form you provide insightful solutions on your blog and encourage contribution from other people about this concern plus our princess is really discovering a lot. Take advantage of the rest of the new year. You have been doing a really good job.
36Hi! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this write-up to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
37Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was looking for!
38It is really a nice and useful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
39I’ve learn some excellent stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot attempt you put to create one of these wonderful informative site.
40I feel that is among the such a lot significant information for me. And i am glad reading your article. However should remark on some normal things, The web site taste is great, the articles is really excellent :D. Excellent job, cheers
41It’s really a great and helpful piece of info. I’m satisfied that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
42I am constantly thought about this, appreciate it for posting.
43An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you become expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is highly helpful for me. Big thumb up for this blog post!
44I have read a few good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how a lot effort you place to create one of these excellent informative web site.
45I like this post, enjoyed this one appreciate it for posting.
46I’ve been browsing online greater than three hours as of late, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s lovely price sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made just right content material as you did, the internet might be a lot more useful than ever before. “When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object.” by Milan Kundera.
47Hi there! I just want to give an enormous thumbs up for the good information you’ve got here on this post. I can be coming again to your blog for more soon.
48Some truly fantastic information, Gladiolus I detected this. “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.” by William Franklin Billy Graham.
49Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
50