Today, I would love to share a recipe that holds a very special place in my heart – Bánh Đúc Lạc (Peanut Rice Cake). I dedicate this post to my Mum because I know that this has always been one of her favourite Vietnamese dishes of all time. Ever since she was a little girl growing up in a small town about 40 miles away from Hanoi, Bánh Đúc Lạc has been part of her fondest food memories.
Hưng Yên – where it all began
Hưng Yên, the town where my Mum and Dad were born and raised, is famously known as the birthplace of Vietnam’s beloved fermented soybean sauce (tương bần). It’s no wonder that Bánh Đúc Lạc, typically served alongside this unique sauce, became such a familiar part of her childhood.
Although I only had the chance to enjoy this dish a few times while I was in Vietnam, every time we did, it brought a visible joy to my Mum’s face – a pure simple happiness that’s hard to put into words.
What is Bánh Đúc Lạc?
Bánh Đúc Lạc is made from very modest ingredients: rice flour, potato starch and peanuts. Traditionally, the recipe also includes limestone water to enhance the firmness of the texture. However, I prefer to leave it out to keep things simple, and truthfully, I’ve never been too fond of using limestone water in my cooking. I still manage to recreate a texture close to the traditional one, much to my Mum’s delight.
She told me that back in the day, this was a very popular dish because it used such affordable ingredients that almost every household could make it. If you’d like to dive deeper into the story of this dish, you can follow this article. And if you haven’t already, you might want to check out my blog post about Bánh Đúc Nóng, the warm savoury variation of the rice cake that’s also loved in Hanoi.
Whether you’re a Vietnamese living overseas or a non-Vietnamese food lover wanting to explore something new, Bánh Đúc Lạc is a wonderful place to start.
Ingredients for Bánh Đúc Lạc
You’ll be surprised how few ingredients you need to create something so meaningful and delicious:
- Rice flour – the backbone of Bánh Đúc Lạc.
- Potato starch – a great alternative to limestone water, helping achieve that soft, bouncy texture.
- Raw peanuts – the heart of the dish, remember to soak them in water for 10-12 hours or overnight.
- Vegetable oil – just a small amount to enrich the texture.
- A pinch of salt.
- Fermented soybean sauce, sugar, lime juice and water for the dipping sauce.
How to make Bánh Đúc Lạc
Prepare the peanuts and batter
As I mentioned, Bánh Đúc Lạc is very simple but needs some advanced preparation. Start by soaking peanuts the day before. This will soften them nicely and shorten your cooking time.
In a large bowl or jug, mix the rice flour and potato starch with 500 ml of water. Stir until fully combined and leave the batter to rest for at least half an hour – this helps build the right texture.
Cook the peanuts
After soaking, rinse the peanuts well. Put them in a saucepan with 50ml of cold water, a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Scoop the peanuts out and set them aside – but don’t throw away the boiling water! You’ll need it in a moment.
Cook the batter
Once the batter has rested, give it a quick stir. Pour it into a large pan and gradually add the warm peanut cooking water. Place the pan on low to medium heat and stir constantly.
The batter will start to thicken after a few minutes. Don’t stop stirring, it will get heavier and heavier. Keep going for about 10 minutes until the mixture becomes thick, glossy and slightly translucent.
Now add a splash of vegetable oil, stir it well and then fold in the cooked peanuts evenly. Remove the pan from the heat.
Set and shape
While the mixture is still hot, line a shallow tray with baking paper and pour the mixture only it, aiming for a thickness of about half an inch.
Here’s a little trick I use to make the surface smoother: place another sheet of baking paper over the top and press gently using another tray. This gives a nice even finish. I usually leave the top tray on for a while to help it set firmly.
After a few hours, when the mixture is fully cooled and set, cut your Bánh Đúc Lạc into small squares and it’s ready to serve!
How to make the dipping sauce
Making the dipping sauce couldn’t be easier. Simply mix:
- 2 parts fermented soybean sauce
- 1 part sugar
- 1 part lime or lemon juice
- 2 parts water
Adjust to taste if you prefer a slightly sweeter or tangier dip.
Sharing Bánh Đúc Lạc with loved ones
I can already imagine myself making Bánh Đúc Lạc again when my Mum comes to visit. Just thinking about it gets me emotional. I’m sure she’ll love it – or reading these lines might make her even more excited about coming over soon!
If you prefer a firmer texture, here’s a little trick: once the Bánh Đúc Lạc has cooled completely, transfer it into an airtight container and pop it in the fridge for a few hours. It will firm up nicely and be easier to slice cleanly into portions.
Let me know if you give this recipe a try; I would love to hear how it turned out for you. Bringing a little piece of Vietnam into your home has never been simpler or more rewarding.
Bánh Đúc Lạc (Peanut Rice Cake)
Description
Discover how to make Banh Duc Lac (Peanut Rice Cake), a traditional Vietnamese snack made with rice flour and peanuts, served with a savoury fermented soybean sauce. This easy recipe skips limestone water while keeping the authentic flavour and texture, just like Mum used to make.
Ingredients
For the rice cake
For the dipping sauce
Instructions
-
Soak the peanuts
- Soak the peanuts overnight or for at least 10-12 hours in water.
- Drain and rinse before cooking.
-
Boil the peanuts
- Boil the peanuts in 500ml of water for 10-15 minutes until soft.
- Reserve the boiling water.
-
Make the batter
- In a bowl, mix rice flour, potato starch and 500 ml of cold water.
- Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
-
Combine and cook
- Pour the rested batter into a pan.
- Slowly stir in the warm peanut water.
- Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and slightly translucent (about 10 minutes).
-
Add oil and peanuts
- Stir in vegetable oil and cooked peanuts.
- Mix evenly.
- Remove from the heat.
-
Set the mixture
- Line a tray with baking paper, pour in the hot mixture and spread to about 1.5cm thickness.
- Press the top with another tray to smooth.
- Let it cool completely.
-
Cut and serve
- Once fully set, cut into bite-sized squares.
-
Make the dipping sauce
- Mix all sauce ingredients until smooth.
- Serve on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 282.05kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 10.96g17%
- Saturated Fat 1.28g7%
- Trans Fat 0.01g
- Sodium 169.01mg8%
- Potassium 148.5mg5%
- Total Carbohydrate 40.83g14%
- Dietary Fiber 2.22g9%
- Sugars 3.01g
- Protein 5.87g12%
- Vitamin C 1.22 mg
- Calcium 19.73 mg
- Iron 0.99 mg
- Vitamin E 1.94 mg
- Vitamin K 0.77 mcg
- Thiamin 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin 0.03 mg
- Niacin 2.58 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.15 mg
- Folate 48.79 mcg
- Phosphorus 89.95 mg
- Magnesium 37.62 mg
- Zinc 0.75 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- For a firmer texture, place the cooled Bánh Đúc Lạc in an airtight container and refrigerate for a few hours. It will slice more cleanly and have a chewier bite.
