Traditional Vietnamese Recipe - Bánh Tổ (Quang Nam's Standard Ancestral Cake Recipe)

Bánh Tổ (Quang Nam's Standard Ancestral Cake Recipe)

Ingredients

500g Glutinous Sticky rice (Or 500g Glutinous Rice Flour)

300g Molasses: 300 grams

1 Stalk of Fresh ginger

40g Toasted sesame seeds

cooking oil

banana leaves

Instructions

Soak rice in cold water for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. Remove and drain and then grind it finely using food processor.

Wash and clean banana leaves and cut into 30cm x 30cm wide pieces

Grate ginger with fine grater

Stack 2 stacks of banana leaves on top of each other and then use toothpicks at both ends to create a boat shape.

In a heavy pot, add about 2 ½ liters of water to the fresh ginger and bring to a boil, once water has boiled, add 300 grams of molasses to the pot.

While boiling, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then, cook for about 1-2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool.

Slowly add 500 grams of glutinous rice flour. Constantly stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent clumping. Stir until the mixture is well combined and soft like a batter.

Apply a thin layer of cooking oil to the banana leaf mold. Add the thick batter to the banana leaves mold, filling until ¾ from the top.

Prepare a large double steamer and add the cakes. Steam for 1 hour and check to see if cakes are solid. Once cooked remove from steamer and sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and allow to cool completely before eating.