Sandwich Shop Goodies 1 – Banh gai (thorn leaf bun)
Sitting still, it looks like a rock. It is sweet with a hint of lard. It is chewy with a weak crunch, similar to a lasagna’s crust. The smooth, thick black skin shines like lacquered wood, but possesses an almost clear and cool embrace of jello. Though closely related to the superglutinous and mud-heavy banh it, banh gai takes it light.
The same everenduring stuff of Vietnamese villagers’ creations are thrown together, wrapped and steamed in banana leaves: sticky rice flour, water, mung bean paste, sugar. If you make it in cone shape and let the sugar brown the flour naturally, you get banh it. Go the extra mile of picking, chopping, sun-drying, boiling, and grinding the ramie leaves to a black powder that you would mix with your sticky rice flour in a 1:10 ratio, then after the fire settles you get banh gai.
Actually, you get the skin of banh gai. The thorny ramie leaves with silver underside give the black buns their color and trademark names, “thorn leaf banh it” (bánh ít lá gai), “thorn leaf banh” (bánh lá gai), or, most economically, “thorn banh” (bánh gai). But as proof of their everversatile imagination with ingredients, the villagers of North Vietnam mix the mung bean paste with shredded coconut, lotus seed, ground peanut, winter melon (bí đao) for crunchiness, and translucent cubes of pig fat or vegetable oil for a mild saltiness.
The thorn leaf buns sold in package of three for $1.99 at CD Bakery & Deli don’t have fat cubes, peanuts, and pieces of winter melon. They are wrapped with plastic instead of banana leaves. They are labeled “mung bean black sesame mochi”. They contain yellow and blue (?) food colorings. But I like their slightly sweet, slightly crunchy, slightly cool black skin.
After a week at room temperature, they get white mold. Perhaps, it is to match the white sesame seeds on top.
Address: CD Bakery & Deli (in the Lion Market plaza)
1816 Tully Road, #198
San Jose, CA 95122
(408) 238-1484
Open 7 days 8am – 8pm
Something else from CD Bakery: sugarcane juice
Next on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh bía (Vietnamese-adapted Suzhou mooncake)
I have learn a few excellent stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot effort you place to create the sort of wonderful informative site.
1Thanks for this post, I am a big big fan of this internet site would like to keep updated.
2When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any manner you possibly can remove me from that service? Thanks!
3Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “Dreams are real while they last. Can we say more of life” by Henry Havelock Ellis.
4Having read this I thought it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this article together. I once again find myself spending way to much time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!
5It’s perfect time to make some plans for the long run and it’s time to be happy. I have read this publish and if I may just I wish to suggest you some interesting things or suggestions. Perhaps you could write subsequent articles regarding this article. I want to learn even more issues about it!
6Aw, this was a really nice post. In idea I wish to put in writing like this moreover – taking time and precise effort to make an excellent article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and under no circumstances appear to get something done.
7so much superb information on here, :D.
8Hi there, I found your website via Google while searching for a related topic, your site came up, it looks great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
9Undeniably consider that that you said. Your favourite justification appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to take into account of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while folks consider issues that they just do not recognize about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the entire thing with no need side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thank you
10Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is fantastic, let alone the content!
11I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. Cheers
12Hydrogen Peroxide Trick
13Hydrogen Peroxide Trick
14Hydrogen Peroxide Trick
15Hello, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam responses? If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can advise? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any assistance is very much appreciated.
16Definitely, what a fantastic blog and revealing posts, I surely will bookmark your site.Best Regards!
17Generally I don’t read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, quite nice post.
18Absolutely indited subject matter, regards for selective information. “He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.” by Michel de Montaigne.
19Good write-up, I am normal visitor of one’s website, maintain up the nice operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
20