Savory Rice Cake (Bánh Đúc)
A soft, jiggly rice and tapioca cake, warm and glossy, crowned with savory minced pork and wood ear mushroom, a drizzle of scallion oil and a shower of crispy shallots. A beloved Hanoi street-food snack, best eaten fresh and warm with a splash of tangy dipping sauce.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Soak the mushroom
Put the dried wood ear mushroom in a bowl and cover generously with warm water. Let it sit until fully softened and doubled in size, then drain and slice it very thinly.
- 15 g dried wood ear mushroom
✅ Done when: the mushroom is soft and pliable all the way through, with no hard spots
Mix the batter
In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch and salt together, then whisk in the water a little at a time until completely smooth, with no lumps. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the oil and let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the starches hydrate evenly; this is what keeps the finished cake smooth instead of grainy.
- 200 g rice flour
- 50 g tapioca starch
- 750 ml water
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp oil
✅ Done when: the batter is silky and lump-free, with no dry flour visible at the bottom of the bowl
Cook until thick and jiggly
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Pour and set
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Cook the pork and mushroom topping
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Make the scallion oil
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Make the sauce and serve
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Soak the mushroom
Put the dried wood ear mushroom in a bowl and cover generously with warm water. Let it sit until fully softened and doubled in size, then drain and slice it very thinly.
- 15 g dried wood ear mushroom
✅ Done when: the mushroom is soft and pliable all the way through, with no hard spots
Mix the batter
In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch and salt together, then whisk in the water a little at a time until completely smooth, with no lumps. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the oil and let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the starches hydrate evenly; this is what keeps the finished cake smooth instead of grainy.
- 200 g rice flour
- 50 g tapioca starch
- 750 ml water
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp oil
✅ Done when: the batter is silky and lump-free, with no dry flour visible at the bottom of the bowl
Cook until thick and jiggly
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Pour and set
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Cook the pork and mushroom topping
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Make the scallion oil
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Make the sauce and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Bánh đúc belongs to a large family of Vietnamese rice cakes made by cooking rice flour (sometimes with other starches) into a smooth batter that sets as it cools. In the north, a savory version topped with stir-fried minced pork and wood ear mushroom became especially associated with Hanoi, distinct from the plain, cold bánh đúc eaten elsewhere with a peanut or sesame dipping sauce.
For generations, street vendors and home cooks in and around Hanoi's Old Quarter have served bowls of warm bánh đúc nóng as an affordable, comforting snack, often sold from small stalls or carts in the late afternoon. Its appeal lies in simple, everyday ingredients turned into something silky and satisfying through patient stirring.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's loved for its uniquely soft, jiggly texture, achieved purely by slow-cooking rice flour and tapioca starch with no eggs, gelatin or special equipment, topped with a savory pork and mushroom mixture and a bright, tangy dipping sauce.
💡 Fun Fact
The texture is all technique: the batter has to be stirred constantly over low heat so it thickens evenly without lumps or scorching, which is why many home cooks consider getting it just right a small point of pride.
Hanoi, Vietnam
21.03°N, 105.85°E
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