Now that they're grown up and have money, on their father's death anniversary they still buy banh cong to burn incense.

If there is a dish that makes people sit down, slowly enjoy and reminisce about their childhood, banh cong is definitely one of them.

Banh Cong is a rustic dish of the people of the Southwest region - Photo: THUONG KHAI

Located in an alley in Ward 12, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City - Dai Tam Banh Cong shop of Mr. Nhon and Ms. Tam attracts customers by the fragrant smell emanating from dozens of fried dishes here.

Hidden in the middle of a bustling city, the small Dai Tam Banh Cong shop located in an alley in Ward 12, District 6 is a familiar address for those who love the rich flavors of the West.

30 years of attachment to Dai Tam rice cakes

Ms. Tam and Mr. Nhon have maintained the Dai Tam Banh Cong shop for nearly 30 years. Each Banh Cong is not only a product of their ingenuity, but also a love for their homeland's cuisine.

Dai Tam Banh Cong is open from 10am to 7:30pm every day. In addition to Banh Cong, the restaurant also sells other fried dishes such as shrimp, prawns, squid, goby fish, chicken, etc.

In addition to banh cong, the restaurant also sells many other fried cakes with shrimp, prawns, squid... All of these dishes are very popular - Photo: THUONG KHAI

Each banh cong costs 16,000 VND, while other fried dishes range from 16,000 to 40,000 VND/kg.

Banh Cong is a rustic dish of the Southwest region, especially popular in Soc Trang and Can Tho.

This dish has a crispy outer shell, fatty soybean filling, rich minced meat and bright red shrimp on top.

The name "banh cong" comes from the tool used to fry the cake - a cong (a small, deep cylindrical mold) that helps the cake to be evenly puffed and crispy.

Unlike many places, Dai Tam Banh Cong does not use pre-made flour. The rice must come from the West and be ground into flour.

The steps of making Banh Cong at the shop after preparing the ingredients - Video: THUONG KHAI

This grinding process must be monitored hourly; if the flour does not reach the required buoyancy, the cake will not be crispy and spongy. Soybeans are also carefully selected to ensure richness and fat.

Mr. Nhon has to wake up at 5am to go to the market, personally select each fresh, firm shrimp, bring it home, peel off the head, wash it and let it drain before frying. Thanks to that, when the cake is just cooked, the bright red shrimp stands out on the crispy golden background of the cake.

When biting into it, diners can immediately feel the crispy outer layer, the fatty taste of soybeans, the richness of minced meat and the natural sweetness of fresh shrimp.

In particular, the cake does not absorb oil because the owner and the staff constantly adjust the oil temperature and frying time to get the most accurate results.

Usually, the cake will be cut into small pieces, then rolled with raw vegetables - Photo: THUONG KHAI

The sliced ​​cake is rolled with lettuce, herbs, perilla, basil, fish mint... then wrapped in a thin layer of rice paper or simply picked up each piece of cake and eaten with vegetables.

The dipping sauce is also an important part of the flavor of Banh Cong. The most popular dipping sauce is a diluted fish sauce with garlic and chili, which has a sweet and sour taste, helping to balance the richness of the cake.

Mr. Phuoc Thuan (39 years old) shared: “Everyone in my family loves to eat fried food at Uncle Nhon’s restaurant. The banh cong is crispy, fatty, with fresh shrimp, very delicious when eaten with fish sauce and vegetables.”

Ms. Hoai Nhien (26 years old) praised: "The fried food here is fresh. I have tried many banh cong stalls in Saigon, but Mr. Nhon's shop has the most Western flavor."

Don't want children to follow in his footsteps

Standing in front of the fragrant banh cong and fried food stall, Ms. Tam (58 years old) quickly poured the batter into the mold, added the shrimp, and watched the fire, smiling heartily as she recalled her early days in the profession.

She said: "I learned the profession in my hometown - Soc Trang since I was 20 years old. People only taught me the basics, the rest I had to explore and learn more by myself. Any profession is like that, you have to practice yourself to have experience and your own secrets.

Ms. Tam and Mr. Nhon are busy making banh cong to sell to passersby - Photo: THUONG KHAI

In the past, making cakes was very hard, the flour had to be ground with a stone mill. Nowadays, the milling machines are faster but the cakes are not as delicious. The friction of the hand mill helps the flour to be smooth and even, the cakes are also more delicious and have a more beautiful color.

Making banh cong also depends on the weather. If it is sunny, the dough will rise quickly, so you have to pour the cake quickly. If it is rainy, the dough will be sticky, so it will take longer to make, and you have to watch the time very carefully.

According to Ms. Tam, in the past, making banh cong was 10 parts delicious, but now it is only 7 or 6 parts. Partly because the ingredients, especially the rice, are no longer pure.

Soybeans must be Soc Trang soybeans, rice must be seasonal rice, meat must be standard local chicken, to make a delicious, spongy, soft, rich cake.

Dai Tam Banh Cong shop attracts many passersby - Photo: THUONG KHAI

“Many times I thought people would come to me to eat cakes and I was very happy. But when I look back, rice flour is not like before, making cakes no longer has the right taste, I want to cry. But there is no other way, times have changed” - she confided.

Ms. Tam recalled the memory: “Back then, the children did not have money to buy food, if they wanted to eat, they had to ask their parents to buy it for them. One of the children was very pitiful, listening to him tell the story made me feel sorry for him.

The family was poor, so the father had to go hungry to buy two banh cong cakes for him and his sister. Now that they are grown up and have money, every year on the anniversary of their death, the father still buys banh cong cakes to burn incense.

Dai Tam Banh Cong shop has existed here for more than 30 years - Photo: THUONG KHAI

In their old age, Aunt Tam and Uncle Nhon's health is not as good as before.

“There were times when I thought about quitting, but customers kept asking. I felt sorry for the job, sorry for the people who knew the taste of my cakes, so I took out my tools and continued working.

I know this job is hard, I don't expect my children to follow suit, I just hope they study well so they can do easier work.

Have to go to the market early in the morning, then work all day in the kitchen, and only get to rest at night.

Ms. Tam and Mr. Nhon still have concerns and regrets, but above all, they are happy because every day they can still serve customers with delicious, authentic banh cong.

Although we know that time will pass and everything can change, surely those who have once visited Dai Tam Banh Cong shop will forever remember that taste - a taste of homeland, of memories and of humanity.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/gio-tui-no-lon-roi-co-tien-ngay-gio-cha-van-mua-banh-cong-ve-thap-huong-20250216014604808.htm