How to make traditional cake (banh ú) dipped in molasses on the Lunar New Year

1. What is ash cake?

Banh tro is also known with 3 names called banh gio, banh ú tro or banh chung. How to make ash cake is not difficult. This type of cake is made from glutinous rice soaked in ash water, then wrapped with bamboo leaves and boiled.

There are many documents about the origin of ash cake. However, most scholars agree with the view that this cake originated in the Guangdong region, China.

Ash cake is an indispensable dish of the day Lunar New Year

The Chinese ash cake will have a salty and sweet filling, but when it comes to our country, this cake is changed to suit the taste and culture of the Vietnamese people. Traditional ash cakes will have no filling and are made very pale to be dipped with molasses.

In the past, the most famous banh tro was in Co village in Bac Giang. Later spread to all regions, each place will have changes to suit the taste of the natives.

2. Learn how to make delicious and delicious bro cake (banh ú)

At first, it sounds like a very difficult way to make ash cakes, but in fact, it is extremely simple. Together with Eva Kitchen discover the recipe for ash cake right here.

Materials needed

– Delicious yellow flower sticky rice: 500g

– Ash water

– Dong leaves (Banh ash will be more delicious and flavorful when you use bamboo leaves to wrap)

– Salt

– Molasses

– Lanyard to tie the cake

Yellow flower sticky rice is the type of rice used to wrap banh tro

* Good tip: Currently, there are many types of glutinous rice to make cakes, but if you want delicious ash cake, you must definitely choose yellow flower sticky rice. This type of rice has round, flat, slightly dark yellow-brown grains. Only when you choose sticky rice with yellow flowers will the cake be fragrant and delicious. Cakes made from this type of rice also give off a unique aroma that makes you want to eat forever.

How to make traditional ash cake

Step 1: Make ash water

Ash juice is an extremely important part that determines the success of ash cake.

You use commercially available ash and mix it with slaked lime, leave it for about 2 hours for the lime to settle, then decant the clear water.

Note, this water should be poured through a filter cloth to remove all remaining dirt. So the ash water is also clear and less gritty.

In addition, you should mix in the right ratio so that the ash water does not have too much lime smell. Usually every 10g of lime powder will be mixed with 1 liter of water.

Step 2: Soak rice

– Wash the prepared glutinous rice thoroughly, then pour it into a basin of water to soak for about 22 hours. To know if the rice has reached the standard or not, you just need to gently squeeze it with your hand, if it breaks, it’s fine.

– The rice has been soaked, you take out the basket to drain and then add a little salt so that the cake when cooked will be more flavorful.

Soak the rice in ash water until the rice grains are broken

Step 3: Wrap the cake

– Wash, dry, then remove all the stalks and veins so that the package is not brittle or broken.

– Place dong leaves on a flat surface then spread rice on top. Attention, should spread rice 1 amount equal to 2 fingers is beautiful.

– Use your hands to wrap the edges of the leaves together, fold the 2 ends of the leaves squarely, then use a ladle to tie the cake firmly. At this step, you have to wrap the cake so that the cake is firm, not falling apart.

Step 4: Boil Banh Tro

– Put 1 layer of dong leaves on the bottom of the pot and then turn the cake on top. Pour water over the cake and start boiling.

Because the cake is quite small, it is easy to float on top, difficult to cook evenly. You should put heavy objects on top of the cake to avoid this situation.

– Ash cake will be cooked after about 2-3 hours of boiling. At this point, you just need to take the cake out, let it cool and enjoy.

Step 5: Finished product

The ash cake is ripe in amber color, when you eat it, you can clearly feel the fragrant aroma of the yellow flower sticky rice

After cooled, the ash cake can be peeled off and enjoyed. The cake is supple, soft, and clear. When you eat, you will feel a cooling sensation. Thanks to soaking in ash water, the cake has an extremely eye-catching amber color.

– You should dip ash cake with molasses to make this cake more delicious and richer.

Banh troi is an indispensable dish in the menu of the Lunar New Year of families. Hopefully, the way to make banh tro (banh ú) that Kitchen Eva has just shared will help you make a delicious cake yourself to treat the whole family on the upcoming New Year’s Day on May 5. Good luck!