King of Saigon street food: Bot chien (Fried rice flour cake)

I strongly recommend “Bot chien” be in a list “Must-eat dishes” when you are in Saigon.

One of the street foods that I enjoy the most is Bot chien (Fried rice flour cake). The first time when I came to Ho Chi Minh, I felt very curious about this food. The basic ingredient is rice flour and fried in a large frying pan. But why do Saigonese love this food so much?

Fried rice cakes are the mix between Vietnamese and Chinese cultures.

Cultural exchange.

Vietnamese cuisine has been influenced by other countries, it has always managed to keep its unique characters. I’ve tried Bot chien in some Chinese restaurants, they add taro and lard in the batter of the cake, however, I like the Vietnamese style more. Vietnamese “bot chien” is more simple but still makes you feel hungry whenever you see it.

What makes "Bot chien" special?

The combination of eggs, spring onion and vegetable pickle. BOOM! Make this dish become an outstanding street food. Bot chien is a fried cake but the vegetable pickle, carrot and papaya, help to balance this dish, you won’t feel sick when eating this dish. The dipping sauce is very important in Vietnamese cuisine, it creates delicious and authentic Vietnamese cuisine. The dipping sauce for Bot chien is fermented soya beans, you can mix with chili for the spicy taste.

The crispy texture of the cake and the smelling of eggs will impress you in the first bite. I really love the vegetable pickle, carrot and papaya (are soaked in rice vinegar) is the highlight for this dish.

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HOW TO MAKE BOT CHIEN

1. In a bowl combine rice flour, tapioca flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 300ml water. Use a whisk to combine it.

2. Whisk the mixture on a medium heat until it becomes a smooth batter.

Note: The batter is very easy to become thick so you need to stir it constantly.

3. Choose a baking tray that can fit in the steamer and lightly oil a tray. Transfer the rice flour mixture into the container. Set up your steamer then steam it over boiling water for around 20 - 25 minutes.

Note: You can use a toothpick to check the rice cake. Insert a toothpick into the rice cake, if the toothpick comes out clean so the rice cake is ready to be taken out.

4. Remove it from the steamer, let it cool completely then refrigerate it for a few hours. If you want to have Bot chien for breakfast, I suggest you keep it overnight. Store the batter in the refrigerate makes the cake crispier when frying. When you’re ready to eat, cut the rice cake up into 2-3 cm cubes.

5. Make the dipping sauce by combining the soy sauce, sugar, water and rice vinegar. Add chili if you want.

6. Now here's the fun part: fry the rice cakes. Heat 1 Tbs of vegetable oil in the frying pan on medium heat and then add the rice cakes. Let them fry for 3-4 minutes or till crispy and brown.

7. Crack 2 eggs onto the batter, beat them and add some chopped spring onion. Then flip them over for another 3-4 minutes. To flip Bot chien easily, I always use a spatula to flip them.

Transfer it to a plate, sprinkle on a tablespoon of peanuts and serve with the dipping sauce..

Voila! Now you can enjoy the King of Saigon street food

Hope you guys have a wonderful day!

Credit to: Le, H 2013, 'Recipe: Fried rice flour cake – Bột chiên', danangcuisine, 3 Jun, viewed on 25 Jul. <https://danangcuisine.com/snacks/recipe-80-bot-chien-fried-rice-flour-cake/>

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