Along the central coastal provinces from Quang Nam to Khanh Hoa, tourists can easily enjoy the rustic but equally famous specialty, “banh dap” or crushed rice paper, named after the way it is eaten – breaking it into pieces.

Banh dap combines banh uot (steamed rice pancake) and banh trang (roasted rice paper). Depending on the regions and preference of locals, the dish is prepared differently with various ingredients. The simpler filling is scallion oil while the more sophisticated is minced pork and shrimp with pureed dried shrimp.

Despite being a rustic dish and not requiring many ingredients, banh dap requires finesse during the cooking process. The rice is soaked for many hours and then ground to make flour.

Hanh, an owner of a restaurant serving banh dap in Nha Trang city (Khanh Hoa province), shared that rice flour before being steamed will be mixed with water. This step must be done according to a standard ratio so that the batter is not too thin or too thick. When steamed, the batter must be stirred by hand to obtain a soft, ivory-white layer of banh uot.

In order for the banh uot to be hot and delicious, one must prepare a boiler and keep it at a certain temperature. Before pouring the batter, a layer of water is poured on the soft, breathable fabric to prevent sticking.

Only when a customer order is the dish prepared. Similar to banh cuon in the northern region, the batter is evenly spread on the cloth and covered with a lid. After about 30 seconds to a minute, when the batter is cooked, a thin bamboo stick is used to unload the banh uot.

The hot banh uot is spread on the grilled rice paper, filled with minced meat, shrimp and scallion oil and then folded in half. To enjoy, diners lightly beat the crackers with their hands, both breaking them into smaller pieces, and making the rice paper stick to the steamed rice pancake inside.

Banh dap is served with two types of dipping sauce, viscous fermented fish sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce, with their own flavor profile suitable for all diners’ preferences. 

Banh dap is best served hot. The crispy rice paper combined with the soft steamed pancake layer with the rich scallion oil and shrimp leaves the full flavor of the dish.

One serving is about 10,000 - 15,000 VND depending on the type and amount of filling. While eating, visitors can admire the chef’s skillful hands.

Phan Dau