HOI AN BANH UOT WITH GRILLED MEAT

These shops usually sell from noon but only crowded in the late afternoon. Those vendor small shops usually has low, plastic chairs neatly-arranged for guests to sit. Along the Hoai River, there are about 5 Banh Uot shops, and they are always full of guests.

According to a shop owner, the barbecue should be shoulder meat, which is both lean and fat, so that when grilled, the fat layer helps to soften the meat without drying out.  In addition to the basic spices, to marinate meat, there are also five-spice powder, pepper, lemongrass, shallot, and honey.  Some shops even add white wine to increase the flavor.

The marinated meat will be gripped into a chopstick and grilled over charcoal.  The chopsticks, after baking, will be reused until they are no longer available.

The shop owners arrange Banh uot ( thin wet rice cakes) on plates. Then, they divide each piece and marks with a piece of a banana leaf at the top of the cake.

The vegetables to serve with the dish are from Tra Que village – where is famous for clean and fresh vegetables.  Most of the restaurants in Hoi An get their vegetables from here. Guests can order more vegetables or cucumber as they wish.

The deliciousness of the dish is in the sauce.  Hoi An people often mix soybean paste with peanuts to make a thick and spicy sauce. Many restaurants also add roasted sesame seeds to increase the flavor.

 For those who enjoy the food the first time, it will be quite surprising because the cake looks exactly like spring rolls.  If you do not know how to roll, feel free to ask the owner.  A delicious cake must have all the ingredients.  Slowly dipping the sauce and putting it in your mouth, you will feel the fleshy, salty taste of the sauce first and then the rich marinated meat mixed with wet rice cakes and vegetables.

Each skewer costs 5,000 VND (about 25 yen).  A meal for 2 is about 70,000 VND (about 3.5 US dollars / 350 yen)