Bánh cống (Vietnamese fried shrimp cake or cong cake) will bring vibrant Vietnamese street cuisine to your home! In this article, I’ll share the story behind this treat, from its humble origins to its current popularity.
You’ll also discover the tools and ingredients needed, step-by-step instructions to prepare bánh cống at home, and handy tips. Moreover, I’ve included sections about the best accompaniments to serve with this cake.
So, let’s buckle up for a flavor-packed exploration!
Key Facts About Bánh Cống
Bánh cống is a popular street food from the Mekong Delta region in Vietnam. The “cống” means tube or cylinder, referring to the cake’s cylindrical shape. Its shape results from a special baking mold.
Like many traditional Vietnamese dishes, bánh cống’s history is not well-documented. But many agree that it comes from Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta region, an area full of seafood and rice.
Today, bánh cống is well-loved in other regions as a breakfast, snack, or light meal. You can easily find street vendors making this fried shrimp cake in Vietnam. It’s delicious and affordable!
What Tools Are Needed to Make Bánh Cống?
Vietnamese fried shrimp cake only needs a few tools. In fact, you only have to prepare these main tools:
Which Ingredients Are in Bánh Cống?
You may not realize all the ingredients in Vietnamese fried shrimp cake in one bite since the flavor is quite complex. Don’t worry! Below are all ingredients in bánh cống:
How to Make Bánh Cống (Vietnamese Fried Shrimp Cake)?
This detailed guide will help you make this Vietnamese fried shrimp cake right from the first time. The process includes 4 main steps, as explained below:
Step 1: Prepare the Batter
Place the following ingredients into the mixing bowl:
Mix until the flour fully dissolves. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and stir well.
Let the batter rest for at least 1 hour. This batter should be thicker than the pancake batter for a firm cake.
Step 2: Cook Green Mung Beans
Cook 3.53 ounces of mung beans with water over medium flame until just done. Don’t overcook them.
Step 3: Prepare the Filling
Heat the cooking oil in your pan, then stir in the minced garlic until fragrant.
Next, add 3.53 ounces of minced meat and stir well. Season with:
Keep stirring until the meat is cooked. Set it aside.
Step 4: Fry the Cake
Pour a large amount of oil into the pan. Make sure you have enough oil to fully cover the spoon.
When the oil is boiling, dip the spoon in the oil. Leave it there for about 10 minutes.
When the spoon is hot, remove it from the oil and fill half with the batter. Then, add some mung beans, minced meat, and shredded taro.
Cover the filling with more batter. Be careful with the batter ratio and filling so the spoon won’t overflow.
Gently place a shrimp on top and dip the spoon back in the oil. Reduce the temperature to low.
Fry the cake until evenly golden.
When the cake is nearly cooked, use a knife to separate it from the spoon. Still, keep the cake in the pan until golden and fully cooked. Then, take it out to drain the oil.
Do the same with the remaining cakes until all the ingredients are used up.
Step 5: Serve
Serve this fried shrimp cake with fresh vegetables and Vietnamese dipping sauce while still hot.
What Are the Top Tips for Cooking Bánh Cống?
Tips for cooking Vietnamese fried shrimp cake typically focus on preparing the batter. Your bánh cống will turn out delicious if you get an excellent batter. Here are a few notes to consider:
What to Serve with Vietnamese Fried Shrimp Cake?
You always have options to serve with Vietnamese fried shrimp cake. Let’s take a look at these suggestions below:
Are You Ready to Make This Vietnamese Fried Shrimp Cake?
Bánh cống, or Vietnamese fried shrimp cake, is a delightful combination of traditional Vietnamese flavors. The crispy exterior perfectly harmonizes with the tender filling and the subtle hint of seafood, making every bite an unforgettable experience.
So, don’t hesitate to enjoy this unique snack and learn its story of Vietnam. If bánh cống has caught your interest, please share your thoughts in the comment below. Then, hit the like button and introduce this article to others.
Bánh Cống Recipe (Vietnamese Fried Shrimp Cake)
Equipment
- Skillet
- Ladle
- Tongs
Ingredients
- Cook oil
For the Batter:
- 14.11 ounces rice flour
- 2.65 ounces corn flour or tapioca starch
- 2.65 ounces wheat flour
- 6.76 ounces soda
- 8.45 ounces soy milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
For the Fillings:
- 3.53 ounces green mung beans
- 3.53 ounces minced pork
- 3.53 ounces shredded taro
- 0.66 pounds medium-sized shrimps (about 10 shrimps)
Spices:
- 1.5 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Serving:
- Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nước Chấm)
- Pickles
- Green vegetables: lettuce, fish mint, Thai basil, beefsteak plant, peppermint
Instructions
- Mix 3 kinds of flour with soda, soy milk, and egg until the flour is fully dissolved.
- Stir in turmeric powder until well mixed. Then, let the batter rest for at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, cook mung beans with water for 20 minutes at medium temperatures.
- Stir minced garlic with cooking oil in a pan until fragrant.
- Add minced meat and stir well. Season it with sugar, salt, and pepper. Saute until cooked and leave it aside.
- Pour a large amount of oil into the pan, enough to fully cover your deep spoon.When the oil boils, dip the spoon in the oil and let it stay for 10 minutes.
- Afterward, take the spoon out and pour the batter into it until half filled. Add the right amount of mung beans, minced meat, and shredded taro.
- Cover the filling with more batter.
- Gently put a shrimp on top and place the spoon back into the oil. Reduce the flame to low.
- Fry the cake for 5 – 7 minutes until golden.
- When the cake is nearly done, separate it from the spoon with a knife. Then, keep frying the cake until fully cooked.Take it out to drain the oil. Repeat the steps until you run out of ingredients.
- Serve these fried shrimp cakes with your favorite accompaniments.
Video
Notes
- The total time above is based on 10 servings.
- You can add tempura flour or Lion custard powder to the batter to increase the crispiness and fragrance.
- The batter should be thicker than the pancake batter for the best texture.
- You can replace soda with water.
- Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your palates.
- While the specialized spoon for bánh cống may be available at baking utensil stores, you can use a deep soup spoon instead.
- Use more spoons to make several cakes at once.
- Fried shrimp cake is tastiest when hot.
Nutrition
Tien – Alden
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Beverage Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Asian Food Content Creator
Education
Saigon Tourism College
Advanced Culinary Workshop, Beijing
Vietnamese Traditional Cooking School
American College of Vietnam
Alden is a skilled chef with expertise in Asian cuisines, known for blending traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cooking with contemporary innovations. Alden’s passion for Asian flavors and her creative approach to both food and beverages inspires fellow chefs and those aspiring to enter the field.