Vietnamese Fried Savoury Rice Cake, Bánh Rán Mặn, takes me straight back to my childhood. A few close friends and I had a routine – every few weekends, we would visit the most well-known shop in Hanoi for this dish. Nothing was better than sitting together, chatting away, dipping the hot, crispy Bánh Rán Mặn into sweet and sour sauce, and enjoying it with pickles. Especially on those cold winter days, it was pure comfort food.
My first experiment with Vietnamese Fried Savoury Rice Cake
I’ve had a passion for cooking since a young age. Whenever I ate something new and loved it, I would try to work out the ingredients and imagine how to make it at home. Bánh Rán Mặn was no exception. One weekend, when I was about 14, I decided to try making it myself. It was a hot summer day, but that didn’t matter – when I took my first bite and realised I had nailed the flavour and texture, I felt so proud. My Mum and Dad gave me a nod of approval, which was a great bonus.
That same year, my Dad bought me a book of 555 Vietnamese Dishes, and by the time I turned 20, there weren’t many recipes in that book I hadn’t cooked.
Bringing Hanoi to my kitchen
Fast forward to today, and I decided to treat my family to this iconic Hanoi street food. I don’t usually deep-fry food, but I was in the mood for it for some reason. It must have been years since I last made Vietnamese Fried Savoury Rice Cake, but the craving was strong.
This dish involves several steps, but don’t worry – I’ll walk you through each one. Once you get the dough and filling ready, the rest is easy.
Making the dough
The dough needs to rest for at least 30 minutes before adding the filling, so start with this step first.
Ingredients for the dough
- Glutinous rice flour
- Rice flour
- Salt and sugar
- Lukewarm water
- Mashed potato or mashed sweet potato (for a softer texture)
Method
- In a large bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, rice flour, salt and sugar.
- Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing. The amount of water needed depends on the age of the flour, so add it in small batches.
- Once the mixture comes together, add the mashed potato. Using your hands (wear food-safe gloves), knead the dough until smooth and well combined.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 30-60 minutes.
Prepare the filling and pickles
While the dough is resting, let’s get the filling and pickles ready.
Quick pickles
Traditionally, Bánh Rán Mặn is served with pickled green papaya or kohlrabi and carrots. But to keep things simple, I use cucumber and carrot instead. They still bring the same refreshing crunch to the dish. You can check out my Quick pickles recipe to get it ready in just 30 minutes.
Filling ingredients
- Pork mince (or ground pork)
- Carrot, shredded
- Dried wood-ear mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced
- Glass noodles, soaked in lukewarm water for 10 minutes and chopped into 2cm pieces
- Fish sauce and ground black pepper
Method
- Soak the dried wood-ear mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes, then slice them thinly.
- Soak the glass noodles in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, then chop them into short strips.
- In a bowl, mix the pork mince, shredded carrot, sliced mushrooms, chopped glass noodles, fish sauce, and ground black pepper. Combine well.
- Divide the filling into small portions so it’s easier to add to the dough later.
Make the sweet and sour dipping sauce
A good dipping sauce is essential for Bánh Rán Mặn. To make it, simply mix 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and 10 tablespoons (around 150ml) of water, then add sliced red chilli for an extra kick.
Assemble the rice cakes
Now that the dough has rested, it’s time to wrap the filling inside.
- Take a small portion of the dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
- Place a portion of the filling in the centre, then gently wrap the dough around it, sealing the edges.
- Shape it into an oval or round cake. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used up.
Fry the Vietnamese Savoury Rice Cakes
I rarely deep-fry food, but this dish is worth making an exception for!
Frying tips:
- Use sunflower oil or another neutral oil.
- Choose a medium-sized non-stick frying pan so you don’t need too much oil.
- Heat about 300 ml of oil over medium heat.
- The oil should just cover 2/3 of the rice cakes – too much, and they’ll absorb excess oil; too little, and they won’t cook evenly.
- Fry in batches – don’t overcrowd the pan, or the cakes might stick together and break.
- Reduce the heat to low and fry each side until golden brown, this should take about 10-15 minutes in total.
- Avoid frying at high heat, or the rice cakes will brown too quickly without cooking the filling properly.
Serving Bánh Rán Mặn
Serve the crispy, golden Bánh Rán Mặn with:
- The sweet and sour dipping sauce
- A side of pickles
- Fresh lettuce and coriander for an extra fresh contrast
The result? A perfect balance of crispy outside, savoury filling, tangy dipping sauce and crunchy pickles – just like the ones from my childhood in Hanoi.
Final thoughts
Making Bánh Rán Mặn at home is a bit of a process, but the effort is well worth it. It brings back so many childhood memories, and the joy of recreating this dish is just as satisfying now as it was when I first made it at 14.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! And if you love Vietnamese street food, check out more of my recipes for authentic flavours straight from Hanoi.
Happy cooking!
Vietnamese Fried Savoury Rice Cake – Bánh Rán Mặn
Description
Bánh Rán Mặn is a crispy Vietnamese Fried Savoury Rice Cake filled with a juicy mixture of pork mince, mushrooms and glass noodles. Served with a tangy sweet and sour dipping sauce and crunchy pickles, this Hanoi street food classic is the perfect balance of crispy, chewy and flavourful.
Ingredients
For the Dough
For the Filling
For the Pickles
For the Dipping Sauce
For Frying
Instructions
-
Prepare the Dough
- In a bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, salt and sugar.
- Gradually add lukewarm water, stirring well after each addition until you form a soft dough.
- Knead in the mashed potatoes until fully combined.
- Cover and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
-
Make the Pickles
Visit my Quick Pickles for ingredients and method.
-
Prepare the Filling
- Soak the wood-ear mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes, then slice thinly.
- Soak the glass noodles in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, then chop into small pieces.
- In a bowl, mix the pork mince, shredded carrot, mushrooms, noodles, fish sauce and black pepper.
- Divide the filling into small portions to make assembling easier.
-
Make the Dipping Sauce
- Mix sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and water.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add sliced red chilli for extra heat.
-
Assemble the Rice Cakes
- Take a small portion of the dough and flatten it in your palm.
- Add a portion of the filling in the centre.
- Gently wrap the dough around the filling, sealing it completely.
- Shape it into an oval or round shape.
- Repeat with a remaining dough and filling.
-
Fry the Rice Cakes
- Heat 300 ml oil in a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Add the rice cakes, ensuring they don't overcrowd the pan.
- Reduce the heat to low and fry each side until golden brown (about 10-15 minutes total).
- Remove and drain on a paper towel.
-
Serve and Enjoy
- Serve hot with sweet and sour dipping sauce, pickles and fresh lettuce and coriander.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 604.71kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14.8g23%
- Saturated Fat 4.2g22%
- Trans Fat 0.01g
- Cholesterol 28.8mg10%
- Sodium 1232.7mg52%
- Potassium 370.5mg11%
- Total Carbohydrate 101.44g34%
- Dietary Fiber 3.23g13%
- Sugars 12.91g
- Protein 14.56g30%
- Vitamin A 96.55 IU
- Vitamin C 16.75 mg
- Calcium 36.18 mg
- Iron 1.11 mg
- Vitamin D 0.01 IU
- Vitamin E 2.12 IU
- Vitamin K 4.25 mcg
- Thiamin 0.45 mg
- Riboflavin 0.16 mg
- Niacin 5.19 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.72 mg
- Folate 20.7 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.36 mcg
- Phosphorus 203.84 mg
- Magnesium 75.93 mg
- Zinc 1.88 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 softer texture, add mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes to the dough.
- Avoid high heat when frying to ensure the filling cooks properly.
- Reheat leftovers in an air-fryer for 5 minutes to restore thir crispiness.
