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Bánh tổ (Hội An New Year cake)
Dark, chewy glutinous rice and cane-molasses cake, steamed for hours and crowned with sesame
In Hội An and the rest of Quảng Nam, families steam bánh tổ for Tết and place it on the ancestors' altar; its name echoes 'tổ', the ancestors, and its slow-cooked sweetness is a wish for a smooth, sweet year. The cake is like a darker, ginger-scented cousin of Chinese nian gao: dense, chewy and glossy, with toasted sesame on top. Eat it in thin slices at room temperature, or fry slices until crisp outside and molten within, and serve with tea or sandwiched in rice crackers as locals do. Chef's tip: keep the water at a steady simmer and top it up with boiling water; a steamer that boils dry is the only real way to ruin this cake.
- Total time
- 300 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ⅛ lb glutinous rice flour
- 12 ½ oz dark brown cane sugaror Vietnamese đường đen
- 2 tbsp cane molassesfor depth of colour
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh gingerpeeled and finely grated
- 1 tbsp neutral oilfor the tin
For lining and topping
- 2 banana leaveswiped and softened over a flame, or baking paper
- 2 tbsp white sesame seedstoasted
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat 12 ½ oz dark brown cane sugar, 2 tbsp cane molasses and 1 ½ cups water over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves; simmer 2 minutes, then stir in 1 ⅜ oz fresh ginger and leave until just warm.
10 minStep 2: Pour the warm syrup slowly into 1 ⅛ lb glutinous rice flour, whisking, to make a smooth, pourable batter like thick cream. Rest for 15 minutes.
18 minStep 3: Line a 20 cm round tin with 2 banana leaves and brush the leaf with 1 tbsp neutral oil.
5 minStep 4: Bring a large steamer to a boil, pour the batter into the tin, cover the lid with a cloth to stop drips and steam over medium heat.
5 minStep 5: Steam for 4 hours, topping up with boiling water every 30–40 minutes. Common mistake: letting the water drop too low; the pan scorches and the steam stops, leaving a raw, floury centre.
240 minStep 6: Check the cake: it should be deep brown, glossy and translucent all the way through, and a skewer in the centre comes out sticky but without any white batter. Steam 20 minutes more if not.
15 minStep 7: Scatter 2 tbsp white sesame seeds over the hot surface, then cool completely in the tin, at least 3 hours or overnight, before turning out and slicing with an oiled knife.
5 minStep 8: Wrap and keep at cool room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 2 weeks; fry fridge-hard slices in a little oil for 2 minutes a side to soften.
0 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 65 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bánh tổ (Hội An New Year cake) take?
- About 300 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 270 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dark brown cane sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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