Recently, CNN published an article voting for no less than 35 types of cakes made from wheat flour, whether savory or sweet, to stimulate readers’ taste buds. This is a popular light dish globally; it is simple, delicious, and affordable. Depending on the region, this dish is prepared with its own unique characteristics. Among the selected dishes, banh bot loc (banh quai vac) from Vietnam was also chosen for this list. Its deliciousness is comparable to other famous dishes such as xiao long bao (China), Sichuan wonton soup (China), Manti meat dumplings (Turkey), and Ravioli pasta (Italy).
Quai vac cake from Phan Thiet features a transparent outer layer of flour and a delicious filling of fresh shrimp.
Vietnam’s banh bot loc is similar to a type of dumpling made with shrimp or pork filling. The outer layer, used to wrap the filling inside, is made from cassava flour. When cooked, the cassava flour cake becomes transparent, chewy, and reveals the filling inside. Depending on the region, banh bot loc is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, or the plain crescent-shaped banh bot loc is boiled until cooked.
Banh bot loc is available in many provinces and cities in Vietnam with different names and various versions of fillings to suit the local tastes. In Phan Thiet, this cake is called banh quai vac and is filled with shrimp or pork in small crescent shapes, sold in many places in the city. After cooking, the cake’s transparent, chewy outer layer reveals the fresh red shrimp filling. The makers place the cakes in a dish with a layer of green onion oil and fried shallots to prevent sticking.
Diners enjoy it with a dipping sauce of spicy-sweet fish sauce, fish cakes, and a side of pickles. Some diners enjoy it by sandwiching the banh quai vac in a bread roll. Each portion of cake is quite affordable, priced at 10,000 - 20,000 Vietnamese dong per serving, suitable for many budgets. The flavor of the dish is chewy from the cake’s outer layer, sweet from the fresh shrimp, and slightly spicy-sweet from the fish sauce. All these elements blend together to create a unique flavor that cannot be confused with any other region.
Quai vac cake has become a specialty dish that locals and tourists cannot miss when enjoying cuisine in Phan Thiet. Many tourists, after dining at local eateries in Phan Thiet, purchase multiple portions to give as gifts to their loved ones and friends.
Ms. Tran Thi Huong Lan (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City) shared: Every year, my family takes a short vacation in Phan Thiet for a few days. Each time we visit, we always seek out a banh quai vac vendor to enjoy this dish. Before leaving the coastal city, we stop by Phan Thiet market to buy nearly 10 boxes to give to our family and friends because everyone loves them. Banh quai vac is affordable, considered a snack, but can also be quite filling. However, some tourists suggest: “When giving banh quai vac as a gift, enjoy it on the same day.”
To make quai vac cake from Phan Thiet more accessible to a wider audience, I think the bakers should update their packaging and offer uncooked banh quai vac to meet the needs of consumers, as well as local and distant tourists. After purchase, they can store it in the freezer and cook it whenever they desire.
