Warm winter afternoon snack

The sweetness of sugar and honey, the rich aroma of mung bean paste melting in your mouth, all blend together in this rustic dish of Hanoi.

Fried cakes have long been an "afternoon snack" for Hanoians. Photo: TL

Hanoi in Autumn and Winter is always an ideal destination for those who love romance and gentleness. The sun is dry and the wind is also dry. The weather is not too cold yet. The rays of sunlight stretch like a soft, flowing silk strip, across each street, leaning on the branches and leaves of ancient trees, shining with the sparkling yellow color like honey of the carpet of leaves along the road. The green of the ancient trees, mixed with the rain of yellow leaves pouring down on the road, creates a beautiful autumn scene that perhaps only Hanoi has.

In addition to the four seasons of Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter, each season, Hanoi has a different appearance and characteristics, Hanoi cuisine in each season is also what keeps many people here, no matter who goes far or near, even for those who live and work in this capital, the presence of each gift is like "bringing the season" to the streets.

Fried cakes are not only found in the countryside, but for a long time, fried cakes have been on the list of "afternoon snacks" of Hanoians. Talking about "afternoon snacks" is also a way of expressing the culinary culture of Hanoians, used to enjoy before the end of work, when dinner time has not come yet but there is an excuse to sit and chat, confide after stressful hours of studying and working, in the noisy, hurried atmosphere of the streets. Hanoi has many fried cake shops, we can randomly come across them on any sidewalk, street corner, sidewalk corner, in small alleys or on baskets, trays carried by women and girls all over the streets.

There are many types of fried cakes, but I usually like to eat sweet fried cakes, the most popular are honey fried cakes and sugar fried cakes. The most attractive is when the stomach is hungry, tasting the sweet cakes. On round baskets, imbued with a shiny brown honey color, or dotted with white sugar around. Taking a bite, we feel the crispy taste from the outer layer, not hard at all, the cake is covered with honey, covered with sugar but the sweetness is just right, not melted, the sweetness gradually softens, melts in the mouth leaving a fragrant, sweet aftertaste mixed with the flavor of the soft, smooth green bean filling. It can be said that the cake crust is the best part of the honey fried cake. If the sugar fried cake uses white sugar, the honey of the honey fried cake is made from brown sugar but all types are moderately sweet.

Sweet cakes are the first and most popular type of cake. Nowadays, to diversify the taste and serve the preferences of diners, salty fried cakes are also very popular. The main ingredients of salty cakes are minced meat, wood ear mushrooms, etc., similar to the filling of fried dumplings. Each restaurant has its own recipe for salty cake filling, creating its own unique flavor. The crispy, chewy fried cake crust combined with the filling inside creates an extremely attractive flavor. Salty fried cakes are eaten with a dipping sauce that is seasoned to taste, harmoniously sour, spicy, salty, sweet, accompanied by pickled kohlrabi or green papaya to reduce the feeling of fullness. Especially, it is most delicious when just out of the pan and enjoyed on cold winter days. The endless stories of a group of close friends will be warmer and more intimate thanks to this simple gift.

Hanoi cuisine is very rich, it can be considered a paradise for visitors from afar, this is also one of the factors that create a very unique attraction that few places have. And that attraction is created from the simple gifts, associated with the childhood of many people. In the cold autumn - winter weather, there is no need for delicacies, luxurious restaurants, eateries, just sitting in groups of three or five next to the attractive fried cakes, or listening to the familiar cries in the small alley, we always see that Hanoi is so beautiful, so close.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/thuc-qua-chieu-ngay-dong-am.html