Coconut rice paper: A signature dish of Binh Dinh’s coconut region

‘Banh trang dua’ (coconut rice paper) is a delicacy of Hoai Nhon, a district famed for coconut products in Binh Dinh Province

Coconut rice paper: A signature dish of Binh Dinh’s coconut region (Photo: VNExpress)
Coconut rice paper: A signature dish of Binh Dinh’s coconut region (Photo: VNExpress)

Coconut has become an essential part of people’s lives in Hoai Nhon District, Binh Dinh. The coconut trees provide food and shade and protect the area from the sun and storms. That's why the people here add coconut flavour to many of their dishes.

The main ingredient for making banh trang dua is flour. Cassava are peeled and pureed into a floury and watery mixture. Then the water is separated from the flour. The final product is then mixed with clean water in a specific ratio along with some other ingredients to make the rice paper.

Coconut rice paper, of course, cannot be completed without coconut. The coconut must not be too ripe so that the pulp is sweet, thick and soft. The pulp is then mixed with thick coconut milk and some spices, scallion and pepper and added to the rice paper mixture. The final mixture is steamed to make a batch of delicious coconut rice paper.

Placed on a charcoal stove, the coconut rice paper puffs up while the purple onion and ripe sesame bring a fragrant aroma mixed with the sweet scent of coconut.

VnExpress