Sandwich Shop Goodies 5 – Bánh khảo (bánh in)
It looks just slightly bigger than a chocolate bar, and about as thick. It has three thin layers, one bright yellow sandwiched between two whites, like a rectangular slice of hard boiled egg. The humble appearance of bánh khảo, like so many other Vietnamese old school treats, masks tremendous creativity and skill of the country’s villagers.
And so little is known about it. Some just say it came from the Chinese immigrants, others believe it’s a special fare of the Tày, an ethnic group in the second-farthest-north-border province Cao Bằng, where Chinese influence seeps through the forests and mutates with a mountainous feel. All we know is when you go to Cao Bằng, you get a bar of “pẻng cao” (bánh khảo) for 1000VND (less than 6 US cents), whose middle layer can either be sweet with peanuts and honey, or savory with sliced fatty pork.
The savory kind is a staple to the Tày people. The flour from roasted sticky rice grains, let sit overnight, mixed with sugar and pressed into a thin sheet, somehow can stay good for a whole month. Its light weight makes a good dry snack to pack for long trips in the mountains. But when it goes south to the Red River Delta and all the way down to Saigon, pork slices and peanuts give way to the all time popular mung bean paste. Bánh khảo looses savoriness and gains homogeneity. It becomes bánh in nhân đậu xanh.
Chewy and grainy. Not too sweet, rather mild. To be eaten slowly between sips of tea to avoid coughing or throat irritation. That’s the nature of two layers of sandy white sticky rice flour sandwiching one of bright yellow mung bean paste, like a rectangular slice of hard boiled egg.
Dull sidenote: not the stuff you’d want to make at home with roasting and grinding and pressing, when it costs 2 bucks and a quarter at any Vietnamese sandwich shops in San Jose, Kim’s for example.
Previously on Sandwich Shop Goodies: sweet corn xôi
Next on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh dừa (coconut sticky rice stick)
Respect to article author, some excellent selective information.
1Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.
2Your home is valueble for me. Thanks!…
3I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade website post from you in the upcoming also. In fact your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own website now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.
4Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this website needs way more consideration. I’ll in all probability be again to learn rather more, thanks for that info.
5I regard something really interesting about your website so I saved to fav.
6I love meeting useful information , this post has got me even more info! .
7I have read a few excellent stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much attempt you place to create this sort of magnificent informative web site.
8Wow! This could be one particular of the most beneficial blogs We have ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Magnificent. I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.
9Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a risky decision outstanding post! .
10F*ckin’ amazing issues here. I am very glad to look your article. Thank you so much and i am taking a look forward to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
11I have not checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
12I like what you guys are up too. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my site 🙂
13I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…
14Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided me.
15I am really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues? A few of my blog visitors have complained about my website not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox. Do you have any tips to help fix this problem?
16Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you have on this blog. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched all over the place and simply could not come across. What a perfect web site.
17An attention-grabbing dialogue is price comment. I believe that it’s best to write extra on this matter, it won’t be a taboo subject however typically persons are not sufficient to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
18You have remarked very interesting points! ps nice internet site.
19You could certainly see your expertise in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.
20I 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.
21I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the superb works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website 🙂
22What i don’t understood is in reality how you are now not really much more smartly-liked than you might be right now. You are very intelligent. You realize thus considerably on the subject of this topic, made me personally believe it from so many various angles. Its like men and women don’t seem to be interested until it’s one thing to do with Girl gaga! Your individual stuffs excellent. All the time maintain it up!
23whoah this blog is excellent i love studying your articles. Stay up the great paintings! You recognize, lots of persons are looking around for this information, you could help them greatly.
24It’s exhausting to find knowledgeable folks on this topic, however you sound like you know what you’re speaking about! Thanks
25F*ckin’ awesome 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 mail?
26As I website owner I think the subject material here is real wonderful, regards for your efforts.
27Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.
28Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was looking for! “The only gift is a portion of thyself.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
29What i don’t understood is actually how you’re not actually much more well-liked than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You realize thus significantly relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated unless it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. Always maintain it up!
30Hi 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 advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!
31Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to claim that I acquire actually enjoyed account your weblog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing for your augment or even I achievement you access constantly quickly.
32so much good information on here, :D.
33Thank you for every other great post. Where else could anyone get that type of information in such a perfect manner of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I am on the look for such info.
34I went over this internet site and I think you have a lot of superb info , saved to my bookmarks (:.
35hello!,I love your writing so so much! proportion we communicate extra approximately your post on AOL? I need an expert on this area to solve my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look ahead to look you.
36Hi my family member! I want to say that this article is awesome, nice written and come with approximately all significant infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this .
37I’d forever want to be update on new posts on this website , bookmarked! .
38We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
39Loving the info on this site, you have done outstanding job on the posts.
40I 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.
41I like this website very much, Its a really nice spot to read and receive info .
42You have observed very interesting points! ps decent website.
43Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. 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 totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
44It’s really a great and helpful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
45It is best to participate in a contest for the most effective blogs on the web. I’ll advocate this website!
46This blog is definitely rather handy since I’m at the moment creating an internet floral website – although I am only starting out therefore it’s really fairly small, nothing like this site. Can link to a few of the posts here as they are quite. Thanks much. Zoey Olsen
47I couldn’t resist commenting
48I enjoy your writing style truly loving this site.
49Just want to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness for your post is just great and i can think you are an expert on this subject. Fine along with your permission let me to clutch your feed to stay updated with imminent post. Thank you one million and please continue the rewarding work.
50