Bánh Nậm (Hue Flat Rice Cakes in Banana Leaf)

Thin, flat steamed rice cakes wrapped in banana leaf and spread with a savoury shrimp and pork filling. A soft, gentle Hue cake that pairs perfectly with bánh bèo and bánh bột lọc.

Bánh nậm is one of the classic trio of Hue steamed cakes. A thin layer of rice flour batter is spread on a rectangle of banana leaf, topped with a mixture of minced shrimp and pork seasoned with scallion, folded and steamed. The result is a flat, translucent cake with a very soft, almost custard-like texture and a delicate savoury flavour that comes as much from the banana leaf as from the filling. You unwrap the leaf at the table and eat the cake with a drizzle of sweet-and-salty fish sauce, often with a little fresh chilli. It is light and easy to eat, which makes it popular as an afternoon snack or a small breakfast. In Hue it is rarely eaten alone; most stalls and restaurants serve it on a platter alongside bánh bèo and bánh bột lọc. First-time visitors sometimes find the texture unusually soft, but the mild flavour makes it one of the most approachable Hue specialties.