The diagram illustrates the process of making Vietnamese ‘banh chung’, a traditional rice cake. This process consists of 10 main steps, beginning with soaking glutinous rice overnight and concluding with unwrapping and serving the cake.
First, the glutinous rice is soaked overnight, while mung beans are simultaneously soaked and cooked. Next, the pork, which will serve as the filling for the ‘banh chung’, is marinated with pepper, salt, and shallots.
Following this, the wrapper prepares phrynium leaves. Once all the ingredients are ready, the wrapping begins. The wrapper places the mixture into a mold, adds the filling, folds it, and then secures it with bamboo strings before placing it in a pot.
The cake is boiled for 10 to 12 hours. After boiling, heavy objects are placed on top to shape the ‘banh chung’. Finally, the cake is unwrapped and served.
Thus, ‘banh chung’ is not only a traditional delicacy in Vietnam but also a staple present in every Vietnamese household. Variations of this dish exist, such as using banana leaves instead of phrynium leaves or preparing it with only mung beans and no pork.