Banh Chung (round glutinous rice cake) is a traditional cake enjoyed by Vietnamese people on the occasion of the lunar New Year.
The Tet cake is cylindrical, made with sticky rice and filled with pork fat and beans seasoned with black pepper and shallots. The cake is wrapped in banana leaves and as a result, the sticky rice takes on a pale green color and a slightly leafy taste. Even though the cake is available all year, it is still considered a New Year treat.
Tet cake is served with pickled scallions, vegetable pickles and fish sauce. After cooking, the banana leaves are removed and the cake is sliced into wheel-shaped servings. The cake may also be sliced and fried to a delicious chewy crispness.
