“Bánh Cuốn” (Steam Rice Rolls)

“Bánh cuốn” is a popular Vietnamese street food item consisting of paper-thin steamed rice flour pancake rolls. “Bánh cuốn” is usually consumed for breakfast in Vietnam and is usually served with a fried shallot dip, sweet and sour fish sauce, a variety of fresh herbs, and lime-based sauce on the side.

It takes a special kind of skill to prepare these steamed rolls which should always be extremely thin and translucent and immediately rolled with other ingredients including a combination of meat, vegetables, and spices while it is still hot. Traditionally, to make these flat rice noodles, you secure a piece of cloth to a pot. The batter is then added to the cloth and steamed until it’s fully cooked, which takes just around one or two minutes. A special flat wooden spatula is used to lift the noodle, then it’s then stuffed with the savory filling and rolled into a little log. This cuisine is recommended to add any meat or vegetables for better tasting.