XEO CAKE

21/03/2022

Xeo cake – a very rustic and close name comes from the fact that the cake is coated in the pan to create the sound of “xeo”. It is a kind of folk cake and bears the culinary characteristics of the Southern people. Cakes are often used all year round, especially on the occasion of the Lunar Year 5th of May (lunar calendar).

Ingredients for Xeo cake include ingredients for filling and dough. First, filling preparation: Use chopped or minced lean pork (can be replaced with minced chicken or duck), shrimps cut off the tail and head, leaf whole or diced depending on your preference, boiled whole green beans; sauteed with garlic fat until fragrant, then stir-fried all the above ingredients, seasoning to taste. Besides, we cut Yam beans into long fibers (can use young part of coconut trees, papaya or bean sprouts instead). That's the end of the filling of the cake.

Next, choose delicious rice flour mixed with wheat flour (if there is cuttlefish powder, the cake will be more crispy and spongy), mix the above flours with water in the ratio of 1 part of flour 2 parts of water, mix turmeric and curry to create a natural yellow color; add spices, coconut milk, chicken eggs, finely chopped green onions, ... to create aroma and fat taste for the cake, then mix the flour mixture well.

When the pan is hot, spread the oil and pour about 1 small cup (or table-spoon) of the mixed flour into the pan, coat the dough evenly, cover for about 1.5 minutes, when the rim is just cooked and begins to rise. Then put the filling in the middle of the cake, fold the cake in half, turn it back until the cake is golden and then scoop it out.

An indispensable thing that contributes to the attractiveness of Xeo cake is sweet and sour dipping sauce, made from sugar, lemon, chili, garlic and shredded carrot, which is prepared to taste.

A special feature when eating banh xeo is that diners have to directly use their hands to roll a piece of golden, crispy, smoky cake with vegetables such as broccoli, salad, herbs, ambarella buds and some leaves, ... dotted with fish sauce and enjoy. Diners will feel the delicious but rustic taste of this cake.

During the journey back and forth, if you have the opportunity to visit Soc Trang, you can enjoy Xeo cakes in many places in the province. Typically among them are Co Mai Restaurant - 254 Le Hong Phong or Phong Lan II Restaurant – No. 133 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Banh Xeo Tran Hung Dao, Soc Trang city…