Banh ran luc lac (Fried shaking sticky rice cake) is the perfect choice for many people when the winter wind flows.
Why is it called “luc lac” (shaking)?
In Hanoi, you can find easily banh ran (fried sticky rice cake) everywhere, from the famous restaurants to the vendors in the streets. However, banh ran luc lac is one of Hanoi traditional food, which make the capital more famous in the sight of tourists who join in food walking tour.
Why is this dish more special than other ordinary cakes? The answer is in the cake core. Banh ran luc lac has the crispy and thin crust separated from the cake core, so if you shake the cake, you will feel the movement of the round cake core. This is the especially interesting thing making the cake become the favorite dish of many people.
Banh ran luc lac is the favorite dish because of the crispy crust, the fragrance of sesame, the soft and sweet green beans, and the joyful sound when shaken.
The way to make this delicious dish
To many people, especially the young girls, banh ran luc lac is not only delicious but also interesting because it is so easy to make this dish that anyone, even the ten-year-old children can make themselves.
The ingredients prepared are very simple so you can find them everywhere. They are sticky rice flour, sweet potato, green beans, and sesame.
Green beans which are used to make cake cores are cleaned and then put into the bowl to be soaked for 3 hours. After 3 hours, they are drained and boiled. It is better to be added a litter bit salt when being boiled.
Let the beans cool down, and then you can mold it into balls of cake core. To make the cake core separated from the crust, it is good to put out them the freezer before using.
The other ingredients are used to make the crust. The sweet potato is mashed after being boiled.
The sticky rice flour is mixed with the baking powder and the masticated sweet potato. The baker will knead the flour into a single block and then leave it for 20-30 minutes.
Divide the dough into equal pieces, roll flat and put the green beans into it, wrapping them so that they do not open out.
The cakes after being fried have a crispy golden color. Thus, it attracts all visitors who follow the guide of Hanoi food tasting tours.
The destination for people who do not like cooking
Although it is not difficult to make banh ran luc lac, some people would not like to make it but find a place to enjoy it. If you would like only enjoy banh ran, you can find these following places.
Ly Quoc Su Street: located in the heart of the capital, the restaurant on this street has been famous for a dozen of years.
O Quan Chuong: this place only serves sweet cakes, however, it is very famous in Hanoi. Banh ran in O Quan Chuong is delicious, crispy outside and soft inside, with the fragrant sweet cake core. Moreover, a small cake here costs only 1 thousand dong, so you can enjoy it without worrying about “burning wallet”.
Ly Nam De: Gia Trinh Shop in 16A Ly Nam De Street is also a famous place with banh ran luc lac. The cakes are just pastries, as small as the ping-pong balls. The cakes in Ly Nam De are covered with a lot of sesame, so the cake is more fragrant than everywhere.