Sandwich shop goodies 7 – Bắp hầm (Vietnamese whole kernel grits)
Corn must be my favorite grain. Growing up with very limited access to street food, I used to fix my eyes on the corn carts and baskets of market women near home, secretly drooling. They had a big steamer packed with corn ears still wrapped in their wilted yellow husks and brown silk, sometimes a glass shelf with peeled ones, white and shiny and plump. I was always so happy when Dad bought xôi bắp, sweet corn and sticky rice, for breakfast. Then at night there was corn-on-the-cobs grilled by coal fire and smothered with lard and green onions. It’s better than butter, no doubt. At che stalls there was corn pudding with coconut milk, which I like when it’s warm and gooey. And that was all the Vietnamese corn stuff I knew.
Not until recently that I came across another corn thing, a midfielder between chè bắp (corn pudding) and xôi bắp, and porridge too. I hate porridge, but I love this stuff.
Some people just call it “bắp nấu”, “cooked corn”, either to make sure that we know we’re not eating raw ones or to confuse questioners with the boiled whole ears, also known as bắp nấu. The more careful gourmands label it “bắp hầm“, literally “simmered corn”, since the hulled kernels are slow cooked until saturated with water and soft like a canned sweet pea. But it’s not mush, the corn still retains a tiny bit of chewiness that entertains the gums.
The classic vendor look is a ladle of hot white bubbly goo half wrapped in banana leaf, a few spoons of SSS (sugar-salt-sesame) mix huskily dumped on top, a tuft of coconut shreds on top of all, and a finger-long piece of banana leaf stem to scoop.
The sandwich store look has the SSS mix and coconut in tiny Ziploc pouches, a half pound of corn in banana leaves, all cling wrapped on a styrofoam plate and sent home with a plastic spoon. It’s sleek alright.
Makes awesome meals on vegetarian days!
The white easy package sells for two bucks at Huong Lan Sandwich #4 in Milpitas (41 Serra Way, Suite 108, CA 95035). My guess would be 2000VND (~11 cents) if you buy it in Vietnam, anyone knows?
Previously on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh dừa (coconut sticky rice stick)
Next on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh bao chỉ (loh mai chi – Chinese sticky rice flour ball with sweet fillings)
You have observed very interesting points! ps decent internet site.
1Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
2I 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.
3Fantastic post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Bless you!
4Very interesting topic, regards for putting up. “Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.” by Lisa Grossman.
5Rattling wonderful information can be found on site. “Preach not to others what they should eat, but eat as becomes you, and be silent.” by Epictetus.
6Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this website. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and appearance. I must say that you’ve done a amazing job with this. Additionally, the blog loads super quick for me on Internet explorer. Outstanding Blog!
7Can 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.
8Wonderful site you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics talked about here? I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Many thanks!
9It’s really a great and useful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
10It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this superb blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
11Great write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s blog, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
12Respect to author, some good entropy.
13Would you be curious about exchanging hyperlinks?
14Electronic Business Card – The Smart Card. Create and share your professional electronic business card easily. In minutes. Choose from 100+ templates, connect with clients, and grow your business today!
15Can 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.
16I am really inspired with your writing skills and also with the format on your blog. Is this a paid topic or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the nice quality writing, it’s uncommon to look a nice weblog like this one today..
17hello there and thanks on your info – I have certainly picked up something new from proper here. I did however experience a few technical issues using this website, as I skilled to reload the site lots of instances prior to I could get it to load properly. I have been pondering if your web host is OK? No longer that I am complaining, however sluggish loading circumstances times will often have an effect on your placement in google and can harm your high quality score if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my email and could look out for a lot more of your respective exciting content. Ensure that you replace this once more very soon..
18Hello! 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.
19Hello! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
20I’ve been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this information So i’m happy to convey that I have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to don’t forget this web site and give it a look regularly.
21Hey there are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you need any html coding knowledge to make your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!
22I have been checking out many of your stories and i must say pretty nice stuff. I will surely bookmark your blog.
23I couldn’t resist commenting
24Woh I love your posts, saved to bookmarks! .
25I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
26An 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!
27In the great scheme of things you actually receive a B- with regard to hard work. Where you lost us ended up being on the particulars. As people say, the devil is in the details… And it couldn’t be much more correct at this point. Having said that, allow me reveal to you precisely what did give good results. The writing is incredibly engaging and that is possibly the reason why I am taking the effort to opine. I do not make it a regular habit of doing that. Next, while I can see the jumps in reason you make, I am not necessarily sure of exactly how you seem to unite your details which inturn produce the actual conclusion. For the moment I shall yield to your issue however hope in the future you actually connect your dots much better.
28It is truly a great and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
29It’s hard to find knowledgeable folks on this subject, however you sound like you realize what you’re talking about! Thanks
30An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing just a little analysis on this. And he actually bought me breakfast as a result of I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the deal with! However yeah Thnkx for spending the time to debate this, I feel strongly about it and love studying extra on this topic. If potential, as you turn into experience, would you mind updating your blog with extra details? It is extremely useful for me. Big thumb up for this weblog submit!
31Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue together with your site in internet explorer, would check this… IE still is the market chief and a large element of folks will leave out your magnificent writing because of this problem.
32I have recently started a web site, the info you offer on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work. “Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown proposed as things forgot.” by Alexander Pope.
33I went over this internet site and I conceive you have a lot of good info , saved to fav (:.
34Lovely website! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also.
35Thanks a lot for sharing this with all of us you really know what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please also visit my website =). We could have a link exchange agreement between us!
36The crux of your writing whilst appearing reasonable originally, did not really work well with me after some time. Somewhere throughout the paragraphs you managed to make me a believer but just for a very short while. I still have a problem with your leaps in logic and you might do nicely to fill in those breaks. In the event you can accomplish that, I could undoubtedly end up being fascinated.
37I got what you mean ,saved to favorites, very decent internet site.
38Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for!
39You actually make it seem so easy along with your presentation however I to find this topic to be really something that I feel I’d never understand. It sort of feels too complex and extremely broad for me. I’m having a look ahead to your subsequent publish, I’ll attempt to get the hang of it!
40It’s really a nice and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
41You are my aspiration, I have few web logs and often run out from to post : (.
42You are my aspiration, I have few blogs and occasionally run out from to brand : (.
43I am always looking online for posts that can benefit me. Thx!
44Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for your provided information.
45Really excellent info can be found on website. “Politics is applesauce.” by Will Rogers.
46Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Your website is very useful. Thanks for sharing.
47Excellent site. Lots of useful info here. I’m sending it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks on your sweat!
48Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
49Wonderful website. A lot of useful information here. I am sending it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks for your effort!
50