Flavor Boulevard

We Asians like to talk food.
Subscribe

Sandwich Shop Goodies 1 – Banh gai (thorn leaf bun)

June 09, 2010 By: Mai Truong Category: California - The Bay Area, Northern Vietnamese, One shot, sticky rice concoctions, sweet snacks and desserts, Vegan, Vietnamese


Sitting still, it looks like a rock. It is sweet with a hint of lard. It is chewy with a weak crunch, similar to a lasagna’s crust. The smooth, thick black skin shines like lacquered wood, but possesses an almost clear and cool embrace of jello. Though closely related to the superglutinous and mud-heavy banh it, banh gai takes it light.

The same everenduring stuff of Vietnamese villagers’ creations are thrown together, wrapped and steamed in banana leaves: sticky rice flour, water, mung bean paste, sugar. If you make it in cone shape and let the sugar brown the flour naturally, you get banh it. Go the extra mile of picking, chopping, sun-drying, boiling, and grinding the ramie leaves to a black powder that you would mix with your sticky rice flour in a 1:10 ratio, then after the fire settles you get banh gai.


Actually, you get the skin of banh gai. The thorny ramie leaves with silver underside give the black buns their color and trademark names, “thorn leaf banh it” (bánh ít lá gai), “thorn leaf banh” (bánh lá gai), or, most economically, “thorn banh” (bánh gai). But as proof of their everversatile imagination with ingredients, the villagers of North Vietnam mix the mung bean paste with shredded coconut, lotus seed, ground peanut, winter melon (bí đao) for crunchiness, and translucent cubes of pig fat or vegetable oil for a mild saltiness.


The thorn leaf buns sold in package of three for $1.99 at CD Bakery & Deli don’t have fat cubes, peanuts, and pieces of winter melon. They are wrapped with plastic instead of banana leaves. They are labeled “mung bean black sesame mochi”. They contain yellow and blue (?) food colorings. But I like their slightly sweet, slightly crunchy, slightly cool black skin.

After a week at room temperature, they get white mold. Perhaps, it is to match the white sesame seeds on top.

Address: CD Bakery & Deli (in the Lion Market plaza)
1816 Tully Road, #198
San Jose, CA 95122
(408) 238-1484
Open 7 days 8am – 8pm

Something else from CD Bakery: sugarcane juice

Next on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh bía (Vietnamese-adapted Suzhou mooncake)

0 Comments to “Sandwich Shop Goodies 1 – Banh gai (thorn leaf bun)”


  1. Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was looking for! “Love endures only when the lovers love many things together and not merely each other.” by Walter Lippmann.

    1
  2. Amazing blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your design. Bless you

    2
  3. Do you have a spam problem on this website; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; many of us have created some nice procedures and we are looking to exchange methods with others, please shoot me an e-mail if interested.

    3
  4. Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and web and this is actually frustrating. A good web site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can’t find it.

    4
  5. What’s Going down i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It positively helpful and it has helped me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & aid other users like its aided me. Great job.

    5
  6. I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They’re really convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are very short for beginners. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.

    6
  7. Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all people you really understand what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please also talk over with my web site =). We may have a link exchange contract among us!

    7
  8. There are definitely quite a lot of particulars like that to take into consideration. That may be a great point to bring up. I provide the thoughts above as normal inspiration however clearly there are questions like the one you carry up where a very powerful thing will likely be working in trustworthy good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around things like that, but I am certain that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Each girls and boys feel the impression of just a moment’s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.

    8
  9. Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your website is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you’ve on this website. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched everywhere and just couldn’t come across. What a perfect website.

    9
  10. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks

    10
  11. I’m still learning from you, while I’m improving myself. I certainly liked reading all that is written on your site.Keep the tips coming. I enjoyed it!

    11
  12. Hi, Neat post. There is an issue with your site in web explorer, might test this?K IE nonetheless is the market leader and a huge component of other folks will pass over your fantastic writing due to this problem.

    12
  13. I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thanks!

    13
  14. Excellent site. Lots of helpful information here. I’m sending it to some friends ans also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you on your effort!

    14
  15. Hello, Neat post. There is a problem along with your site in internet explorer, may test this?K IE nonetheless is the marketplace chief and a large component to people will miss your great writing due to this problem.

    15
  16. Oh my goodness! a tremendous article dude. Thank you Nonetheless I’m experiencing subject with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting similar rss problem? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx

    16
  17. You have brought up a very excellent points, thankyou for the post.

    17
  18. Hey, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!

    18
  19. I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.

    19
  20. I just couldn’t depart your website prior to suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard info a person provide for your visitors? Is going to be back often to check up on new posts

    20
  21. You are my inhalation, I have few blogs and rarely run out from to brand : (.

    21
  22. Perfect piece of work you have done, this website is really cool with wonderful information.

    22
  23. It’s in point of fact a great and useful piece of info. I’m happy that you simply shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.

    23
  24. I truly enjoy reading through on this website, it has fantastic content. “A short saying oft contains much wisdom.” by Sophocles.

    24
  25. Your house is valueble for me. Thanks!…

    25
  26. I truly prize your work, Great post.

    26
  27. Keep up the wonderful piece of work, I read few articles on this website and I conceive that your web site is very interesting and has bands of good info .

    27
  28. Hi, i feel that i saw you visited my blog so i came to “go back the want”.I’m trying to in finding things to improve my site!I guess its good enough to make use of some of your ideas!!

    28
  29. he blog was how do i say it… relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks

    29
  30. Generally I do not read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice post.

    30
  31. Can 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.

    31
  32. I’ve learn several excellent stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot effort you set to make any such excellent informative site.

    32
  33. You are my inhalation, I possess few web logs and occasionally run out from to post : (.

    33
  34. It’s actually a nice and helpful piece of info. I am happy that you shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

    34
  35. After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.

    35
  36. I am not really wonderful with English but I line up this rattling easy to understand.

    36
  37. I’d have to examine with you here. Which is not one thing I usually do! I take pleasure in reading a post that may make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!

    37
  38. Dead composed content material, Really enjoyed reading through.

    38
  39. I’m very happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.

    39
  40. Some really good info , Glad I noticed this.

    40
  41. I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.

    41
  42. Excellent goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just too great. I really like what you have acquired here, certainly 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’t wait to read much more from you. This is really a great web site.

    42
  43. It’s actually a cool and useful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.

    43
  44. Veja como revisar TCC nas normas ABNT com checklist prático de estrutura, capa, sumário, citações e referências antes da entrega.

    44
  45. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thank you

    45
  46. Woh I like your articles, saved to my bookmarks! .

    46
  47. I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your website?

    47
  48. Hello! 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.

    48
  49. This web site is really a walk-through for all of the info you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you’ll definitely discover it.

    49
  50. I got good info from your blog

    50


Leave a Reply