I was born and raised in Binh Dinh, which is well-known throughout the country for its beautiful landscapes and ancient relics; additionally, this southern central region is known for a variety of delectable specialities. Bánh ít lá gai and Bánh hồng are two of Binh Dinh’s most famous desserts. The former is ramie leaf dumpling with mung bean filling, and the latter is rice flour mochi with coconut shreds. Regarding Bánh ít lá gai, the appeal of this small Vietnamese dumpling is not only its sweetness, but also its intriguing color. Ramie leaves are originally green but they turn black when they are cooked, which explains why Bánh ít lá gai is not as green as many people believe. Compared to Bánh gai, the flat northern version that is wrapped and steamed in dried banana leaves, Bánh ít lá gai is wrapped in green banana leaves in a pyramid shape after being steamed. Bánh hồng, a kind of mochi with chewy texture and sweet aftertaste, is primarily used for traditional weddings, and it was originally colored light pink as a wish for the couple. However, as more people prefer the opaque white color of Bánh hồng over pink, light pink has become a less popular option.
I
was born
and raised in
Binh
Dinh
, which is
well
-known throughout the country for its
beautiful
landscapes and ancient relics;
additionally
, this southern central region
is known
for a variety of delectable specialities.
Bánh
ít
lá
gai
and
Bánh
hồng
are two of
Binh
Dinh
’s most
famous
desserts. The former is ramie leaf dumpling with mung bean filling, and the latter is rice flour
mochi
with coconut shreds. Regarding
Bánh
ít
lá
gai
, the appeal of this
small
Vietnamese dumpling is not
only
its sweetness,
but
also
its intriguing color. Ramie
leaves
are
originally
green
but
they turn black when they
are cooked
, which
explains
why
Bánh
ít
lá
gai
is not as green as
many
people
believe. Compared to
Bánh
gai
, the flat northern version that
is wrapped
and steamed in dried banana
leaves
,
Bánh
ít
lá
gai
is wrapped
in green banana
leaves
in a pyramid shape after
being steamed
.
Bánh
hồng
, a kind of
mochi
with chewy texture and sweet aftertaste, is
primarily
used
for traditional weddings, and it was
originally
colored light pink as a wish for the couple.
However
, as more
people
prefer the opaque white color of
Bánh
hồng
over pink, light pink has become a less popular option.