Hanoi has many attractiveness spots, such as Sword Lake, or Bat Trang pottery village, or Duong Lam ancient village. Among these famous and beautiful spots, we cannot forget the West Lake- a popular place which has been asscociated with Hanoi people for many years with variety of tatsy dishes. Coming to the West Lake, you must enjoy one famous dish here, it is Shrimp in batter, or “Banh Tom” in Vietnamese.
1. The story about Shrimp in batter:
Not many people remember how “Banh Tom” was originated, they only know that Hanoi people who go work away from this dear land whenever having an opportunity to visit their Hanoi, always asking for “Banh Tom”. Anyone who has a chance coming to Hanoi is definitely going to the West Lake to enjoy this delicious dish. In the past, “Banh Tom” is a popular dish for students and pupils, especially Chu Van An’s pupils. At this time, “Banh Tom” was a sidewalk snack dish which was sold by the salesman sitting in front of the school’s gate.
2. Ingredients and preparation:
The West Lake’s “Banh Tom” is delicious not by the most expensive or rare ingredients but by the flexible hands and the warm heart of Hanoi people. To cook this dish perfectly, the cooker must prepare:
- Shrimp. In the past, the shrimp used for this tasty dish must be shrimp which was caught from the West Lake.
- Water.
- Flour.
- Sweet potato.
- Papaya, carrot.
- Egg.
- Fish sauce, salt, seasoning, sugar, vinegar, cooking oil.
- Fresh herbs: Lettuce, coriander, Thai basil.
- Onion, garlic, lemon.
3. Cooking method:
- Firstly, peel the potato’s skin, then washing it and peel into small strands. Soak the potato in water within 2 hours.
- Secondly, cut off the head, beard and hard prongs of shrimp. Wash it carefully and shake until it cool, then marinate shrimp with salt or seasoning.
- Thirdly, about the sauce, you have to put sugar into lemon juice and stir two of them. After that, pour a little vinegar and gradually pour fish sauce into this mixture. Stir this mixture regularly. Add garlic and chilli into this mixture too.
- Forthly, peel the papaya and carrot’s skin. Squeeze the papaya with salt in a few minutes, then wash again under water and let it dry. Next, mix papaya and carrot with sugar, shake this mixture and add a small spoon of lime juice and salt.
- Take a big bowl, pour the mixture of flour with egg and water into it.Beat until this mixture become viscous, keep in 30 minutes. Then put shrimp and potato’s strands into this mixture.
- Boil the oil pan, ladle the mixture into this pan, remember to put one shrimp in the middle. Fry until it is browned, evenly cooked and fragrant.
- Serve into dish and start enjoying with fresh herbs.
4. Notable restaurants:
The West Lake’s “Banh Tom” is not only suitable for cold days but also suitable to enjoy in sunny days. Savoring this tasty dish, visitors can relax yourself with the breeze winds blow along the West Lake. Enjoying the Shrimp in batter of West Lake is the elegant pleasure which helps to carry away the tireness. To enjoy this dish, visitors can come to:
- Banh Tom Ha Cao at No.1 Dinh Ngang street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. Each dish’s price is 26.000VND.
- Phu Tay Ho at Tay Ho district, Hanoi. The price is from 50.000VND to 100.000VND per helping.
Same article:
- Get lost in the Hanoi Old Quarter.
- Bat Trang Pottery Village:Coming back to visit the best ancient traits of hanoi people.
- Hanoi Traditional Village: The white silk dress: As soft as a beatifull girl.
