Food-blogger Cathy Danh even eats dessert on the street. Here she recommends three of Ho Chi Minh City tastiest sugary treats
I have a killer sweet-tooth. My heart skips a beat every time I pass a che vendor or a cart frying up fresh doughnuts. Back in the good ‘ol US of A, I ate very healthily and only splurged on occasion. However, now that I’m residing in a country without trans-fat bans or nutrition labels, I’m throwing caution to the wind and indulging as much as I can in the local offerings. Here’s three of my favourites.
l Che Dau Hu: Everyday from noon to 1:30pm, a woman wearing a purple flannel shirt and conical hat sells sweet tofu across from 57 Tu Xuong street in District 3. Every so often on my way back from lunch, I’ll take a seat on one of her especially stumpy red stools and order a bowl.
Being a street vendor is backbreaking work, especially when the food has to be lugged around over one’s shoulders. The sweet tofu dealer carries a large pot of tofu on one side of her “pole” and ginger syrup and coconut milk on the other.
After I place my order, she uses a wide and shallow metal spoon to scoop up a few chunks of fresh tofu into a bowl and douses it with syrup and coconut milk. What’s notable about her rendition of che dau hu is the employment of coconut milk, which I have yet to encounter anywhere else. After trying sweet tofu with coconut milk on several occasions, I’ve concluded that I like mine better without. The creaminess of the milk is pleasant, but unnecessary because what I really dig is the spicy ginger.
l Chuoi Nep Nuong: After reading a mouthwatering post about chuoi nep nuong on a fellow blogger’s site, I set out to find the treat on the streets of Saigon. It didn’t take long for me to locate a man serving it on Yersin Street in District 1. The going rate for one banana was VND3,000.
Chuoi nep nuong consists of gelatinous rice wrapped around a ripened finger banana and grilled to a golden hue. The grilled-up banana and rice combo are cut into small pieces and drenched with sweet coconut milk. The gelatinous rice is chewy, crispy and sticky off the grill, while the bananas caramelize beautifully. The warm coconut milk ties together all the flavours and the result is totally fabulous.
l Banh Kem Su: A little less common, but just as addictive, are banh kem su – basically a Vietnamese take on the classic French cream puff. While the actual puffs are baked beforehand, each one is assembled to order with a thick spoonful of custard and a smear of whipped cream.
The first cream puff I tasted was on Ba Thang Hai street in District 10. Priced at VND3,000, the cream puff was filled with chilled vanilla custard that brought back sweet memories of the puffs sold stateside at Beard Papa’s. Unfortunately, I was not as thrilled with my second experience, which contained durian-flavoured custard! It wasn’t horrible, but the flavour was unexpectedly intense. After the durian debacle, I’ll be sure to ask what kind of custard is used before placing my order.
You can check out more of Cathy’s culinary adventures at gastronomy.wordpress.com
