Xoi banh day only appears in two winter months in Hoi An ancient town. Ingredients of xoi banh day are also Hanoi traditional food which is steamed sticky rice and day cake (round sticky rice cake).
The snack you only can enjoy in winter
At the time when the weather in central become colder, coming to Hoi An, you will be wearing over special coat, scarf, wool hat in Hoi An. Moreover, to Hoi An this occasion, you will have the opportunity to enjoy xoi banh day that only is sold in the winter months.
In the early winter morning in Hoi An, you will hear the sweet advertise sound like tear the cold space of Hoi An. “Xoi banh day … Xoi banh day” from the simple street vendors in the ancient streets. The sweet sound like the morning dew is like urging, like awakening up your stomach after a long sleep.
The familiar ingredients
Xoi banh day in Hoi An is a strange dish for tourists on Vietnam food tours, and even for some Hoi An residents because there is only one seller, this dish is only sold in the old town in only a few hours. A few hours after when some of the houses start morning activities, xoi banh day also is sold out.
The special xoi banh day only appears in about two winter months in Hoi An. As the name signifies, the ingredients of xoi banh day will include steamed sticky rice (xoi) and round sticky rice cake (banh day). Although these are the two different dish, however, with the clever combination of street vendor, they are combined into a beautiful and eye-catching dish.
Like Hoi An snacks, xoi banh day is also very simple. The ingredients of this dish are 3 things, including sticky rice, green beans, and sesame. Although simple, it is one of the delicious snacks in Hoi An, making visitors “interested in”.
How to make xo banh day
The way to make xoi banh day is not complicated at all, just a little skill can be done. Firstly, the nice sticky rice will be steamed.
Firstly, the nice sticky rice will be steamed. Let the glutinous rice into the water for about seven hours so that the sticky rice become softer. The glutinous rice will be well steamed and then well pestled until it becomes smooth. This sticky rice will be molded into the pretty small cakes.
Green beans to be cooked, ground and mixed with white sugar to be put into round sticky rice cake.
Making steamed sticky rice is the most important step to determine the quality of “this strange dish” in Hoi An. Glutinous rice is often washed thoroughly, then soaked in cold water mixed with some salt overnight. Next, put the glutinous rice out of the basket and drain it. Some coconut milk or a teaspoon of oil can be sprinkled on the sticky rice, and the rice will be evenly steamed until cooked. After cooked, sticky rice will be spread on a tray.
Use two hands knead sticky rice into a very fine block. Sprinkle a little oil into the block, knead carefully until the block is soft and no longer sticky. Then, the sticky block will be kneaded into the long cylinder. Spread a layer of cooking oil into the knife to cut it into slices easily. By this way, we can make the lovely sticky rice pies. Only when you enjoy this street food in Hoi An you can feel the unique taste of the cake.
The green beans are placed in day cake, all are placed in the middle of the steamed sticky rice then rolled over a layer of sesame and wrapped in green banana leaves. How simple and delicious!
Hoi An cuisine is one of the attractions for tourists on food walking tour to Hoi An. Especially, the cheap and delicious snacks are the interesting thing that tourists cannot deny.
Other programs for reference: Hanoi food tour, Hanoi cooking class