Bánh Đậu Xanh: A Comprehensive Overview

Fact: Bánh đậu xanh is usually associated with Hai Duong province.

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Bánh Đậu Xanh: Basic Information

Pronunciation

/bahn dow sanh/

Alternative Name(s)

Bánh đậu xanh rồng vàng

Dish Type

Cakes and pastries, Desserts

Course

Dessert

Mealtime

Anytime

Popular Variations

Bánh Đậu Xanh: Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Northern Vietnam

Associated Region

Hai Duong

Bánh Đậu Xanh: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Mung beans, sugar, and pork fat or vegetable oil

Main Cooking Method

Boiling

Preparation Process

Boiling and pureeing shelled mung beans, mixing them with fried pork fat and sugar, pressing the mixture tightly, cutting the mixture into cubes.

Bánh Đậu Xanh: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

A specialty of Hai Duong

Taste

Sweet

Texture

Soft and crumbly

Aroma

Fresh and slightly vegetal

Color

Golden

Serving Style

On its own or served with tea

Serving Temperature

At room temperature

Accompaniment

Tea

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Gluten-free

Calories

432 calories, according to data of MyFitnessPal for every 100 grams or 3.5 ounces of bánh đậu xanh.

Popularity

Vietnam

Popular Similar Dishes

Lüdou Gao
Besan Chakki
Mysore Pak
Soan Papdi

Popular Dining Area

Pastry shops in Vietnam

Bánh đậu xanh, known as mung bean pastry in English, is a well-known sweet dish in Vietnam. Its main ingredients include peeled mung beans, sugar, and pork fat or vegetable oil. Aromatics, like vanilla or pomelo essential oil, are often added to the mix.

Bánh đậu xanh is usually cut into small cubes and wrapped in foil. This delicate kind of snack and dessert is very sweet and best enjoyed with tea.

Hai Duong Province in Northern Vietnam is famous for premium bánh đậu xanh, and I will tell you about the reasons shortly.

There are other exciting facts waiting for you, such as the advantages and disadvantages of consuming this traditional dessert, common concerns, and similar dishes.

Key Points

Bánh đậu xanh is a Vietnamese pastry made from mung beans.
Bánh đậu xanh is mostly produced in Hai Duong Province in Northern Vietnam.
Emperor Bảo Đại allegedly allowed Hai Duong-style bánh đậu xanh to be branded with the royal image of golden dragons.
Bánh đậu xanh is very sweet and usually paired with tea.

Why Is Hai Duong’s Bánh Đậu Xanh Famous?

Bánh đậu xanh from Hai Duong is well-known because of its excellent quality and the interesting story giving rise to its fame. Legend has it that Emperor Bảo Đại, Vietnam’s last monarch, once visited the province and tasted a sample of local mung bean pastry.

He was so delighted that he issued a letter of recommendation and allowed Hai Duong pastry makers to use the royal image of golden dragons as an act of patronage. Therefore, pastry from Hai Duong is usually called “bánh đậu xanh rồng vàng” (“golden dragon mung bean pastry”).

What advantages and disadvantages does this Hai Duong specialty have? The answer is right below!

Pros and Cons of Eating Bánh Đậu Xanh

Bánh đậu xanh offers the following benefits and challenges.

Pros

Cultural Significance: Bánh đậu xanh is a traditional food item of Hai Duong and is often enjoyed during festivals and celebrations. Many tourists visiting this province purchase this pastry as souvenirs.
Nutritional Value: Mung beans, the main ingredient of bánh đậu xanh, are a good source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Tea Treat: The sweet flavor of bánh đậu xanh goes well with the bitter and astringent taste of traditional Vietnamese tea.

Cons

Dietary Restrictions: Bánh đậu xanh isn’t suitable for people allergic to mung beans or refraining from pork due to religious reasons.
Availability: While Hai Duong bánh đậu xanh is available in the Vietnamese foods sections of certain supermarkets, finding it outside Vietnam can still be a challenge.

With these pros and cons in mind, let’s further your understanding of bánh đậu xanh by learning about how to cook it, store it, and other facts!

Bánh Đậu Xanh FAQs

Yes, you can prepare bánh đậu xanh at home by cooking mung beans in a rice cooker, pureeing them with sugar and aromatics in a food processor, and pressing the mixture down in molds.

Whether bánh đậu xanh should be refrigerated depends on the varieties. Store-bought ones only need to be kept in a dry, cool place, but homemade bánh đậu xanh will last longer in the fridge.

Bánh đậu xanh might have originated in China, given the influence of Chinese cuisine in Vietnamese cooking traditions. The history of bánh đậu xanh in Hai Duong dates back to the 19th century at least, but there isn’t clear evidence about its existence before that.

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Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.